New Delhi, Sept. 11 : President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari today greeted the nation on the occasion of Onam, which is being celebrated tomorrow.

In her m message, Patil said on the auspicious occasion of Onam, I extend my greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens.

"May this unique festival, coinciding with the harvest season, bring happiness and prosperity to their lives and reaffirm our pride in the composite culture of India," she added.

Vice President, in his message called upon the people to celebrate this festival in its true spirit to usher in peace, prosperity and happiness in the lives for all.

Onam, a harvest festival, is celebrated in Kerala when young girls and women make flower patterns called ''Pookalam'' in local parlance to welcome the mythical King Mahabali.

Onam recalls the story of mythical demon king Mahabali who created a kingdom in what is now Kerala.

The festival falls during the month of Chingam (August-September as per the Gregorian calendar), the first month of the Malayalam calendar and lasts for ten days.

Traditionally celebrated as a harvest festival, mythologically it is linked to Malayalee-Hindu folktales. (ANI)