Kumarakom has very little in the way of festivals that it celebrates exclusively, with most of its calendar comprised of religious events that are celebrated nationwide. The Onam harvest festival in August and September, however, is Kerala’s biggest annual affair and sees Kumarakom host some of the traditional snake-boat races that are typical of the event.

Republic Day: Kumarakom joins with the rest of the country in celebrating the day on which India adopted its constitution in 1950. Festivities in Kumarakom are reserved and hardly on the scale of those seen in New Delhi or other large cities.

Sivratri: Hindus in Kumarakom unite to honour Lord Shiva in an event that runs from the end of the month through till the following month. The activities are religiously orientated with prayer and rites offered to Shiva throughout.

Festival of Colours: Kumarakom celebrates this national festival with traditional activities that include locals dousing one another with cold water on the festival’s second day. Families enjoy get-togethers with feasting and celebrations.

Ugadi: New Year festivities are enjoyed as enthusiastically in Kumarakom as everywhere else in the country, with locals decorating their doorways and getting out their best clothes for celebrations with friends and family.

Buddha Purnima: when the full moon arrives, Buddhists in Kumarakom come together to celebrate the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha. This day is also known as Vesak Day.

Guru Purnima: Kumarakom’s Buddhist residents take the time to celebrate the birthday of Krishna-dwaipayana Vyasa with religious rites involving the worshipping of gurus as deities.

Ganesh Chaturthi: Hindu residents of Kumarakom, as well as those across the country, celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesh in this 10-day festival which often runs into September.

Onam: this is the state of Kerala’s biggest festival and falls in the Malayali month of Chingam which can be August or September depending on the lunar cycle. The festival celebrates the homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali. Kumarakom and other destinations in the state host a series of exciting snake-boats races which are enthusiastically attended by large numbers of residents.

Dussehra Festival: the victories of Lord Rama over the demon Ravana and Durga over the demon Mahishasura, are celebrated in the Dussehra Festival, a 10-day affair based on the concept of good triumphing over evil.

Diwali: celebrated across the country, this is one of the most significant festivals in the Hindu calendar and is a three-day affair marked by the lighting of candles and the setting off of fireworks.

Children's Day: held to coincide with the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru, this event sees a programme of activities for the young ones in Kumarakom.