1. Vishnu disguised as the dwarf Vamana coming to Bali asks for three steps of land. Bali concedes. 2. Transforming into his divine form, Vishnu takes the heavens. 3. Then he takes the earth. 4. Then Bali, a great devotee of Vishnu, offers his head as the third step, realizing it is Vishnu. 5. Vishnu grants Bali the boon of coming back to Kerala every Onam to see his people and commemorate the harvest