#Onam2021: Of Sadhya and celebrations

The return of King Mahabali and the Vaman avatar of Vishnu are mostly what’s associated with the 10-day Onam festivities

The return of King Mahabali and the Vaman avatar of Vishnu are mostly what’s associated with the 10-day Onam festivities. But when have festivals been devoid of food? As the last three days of Onam celebrations begin in full swing in Kerala from today, the spotlight falls on rice harvesting and relishing delicacies. And those celebrating in Delhi, share how the Capital has found its own way to revel in the festivities.

Onam celebrations are in full swing for delhiites who are geared up to celebrate the harvest festival with a lavish Sadhya at home. (Photo: Vivek R Nair/HT)

Artist Gigi Scaria loves the Onam like weather in the Capital during this time.

For artist Gigi Scaria, the festival means preparing Onam Sadhya with his wife, a Punjabi. “I’ve been in Delhi for over 25 years, and only on a very few occasions I could go to Kerala to celebrate Onam. Thankfully, we get a lovely Onam weather here as there’s a typical wind and dryness during this time. Last year, we celebrated by making curries, payasam, and managed to get kele ka patta. This year, too, we’ll have a good feast,” he says.

Mohiniyattam exponent Jayaprabha Menon, says as a child she would go and pluck flowers on Onam.

And Mohiniyattam exponent Jayaprabha Menon gets nostalgic at the mention of the festivities. “I have lovely memories of Onam. As kids, we would pluck flowers, and wild grown plants instead of buying from the market. After the morning bath, we’d make the Sadhya... I love sarees and we bought new ones for the festival,” she says, adding about this year’s plans, amid the pandemic: “At home, we’ll make a flower carpet and celebrate in our own small way.”

Onam Sadhya is served on a banana leaf.

A Delhi-based MCA student, Vishnupriya Harath, believes this festival is all about love, sharing, and wearing traditional attires. She shares how pookalam (flower rangoli) is made in her house 10 days preceding Onam, and lists the day’s events: “I get up early, go to the park to pluck flowers, invite relatives and friends, especially our north Indian friends for the Sadhya. We have chor (rice), parip, pappadam, three types of pickles, upperi (banana chips), sharkara varatti, khichdi, pachadi, thoran, avial, sambar, pulissery, mor, rasam, payasam (kheer)... Later, we organise games, and dance to Thiruvathira (a traditional dance form from Kerala).”

Another Delhiite, Athira Nair, talks about Onam celebrations in Kerala vis a vis in the Capital. “I have celebrated the festival mostly in north India, where I grew up, and a few times in my home town. I feel celebrating Onam in north India, home away from home, is more fun as people from various parts of Kerala come together for it. In Kerala, since everybody there is celebrating, so only family members gather. One of my best Onams was the year before the pandemic struck. Now, we have to keep the Covid-19 protocols in mind while celebrating,” she says.

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