By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi : Thiru Onam, the principal day of the three-day Onam festival, was celebrated by Malayalis in and outside Kerala Monday, complete with grand feasts, colourful floral designs and cultural extravaganzas.
The day began with a visit to the temple, with women dressed in the traditional white and gold Kerala attire of Set and Mundu. They then returned home to prepare the 26-course sadhya or feast, served on the plantain leaf. The dishes considered a must are aviyyal, olan, sambar and of course payasam, the sweet dish. Nowadays, however, not many families stick to the 26-dish rule.
“Earlier, the 26-dish Onam lunch was a must but now who has the time. My two sons have come home and all the main dishes are ready but not the full quota of 26 dishes,” said retired professor Saraswathi Nampoothiri.
And to cash in on the festive mood, several hotels in leading cities offer free home delivery for the traditional lunch in packets, apart from serving it in their restaurants.
John Muthoot, chief of the Muthoot Group of Hotels in the Kerala capital, told IANS that special arrangements were made for the Onam sadhya at both their luxury hotels.
But Sukumaran Nair rued that his grandchildren did not enjoy the customary Onam celebrations.
“Earlier Onam preparation began at least two weeks in advance, but now even the Onam lunch arrives in packets from hotels. Today’s children are experiencing only a virtual Onam and now none of them want to remain at home and instead want to visit amusement parks,” Nair said.
Legend has it that Mahabali, a king of ancient Dravida, visits Kerala every year on the occasion of Onam. And to welcome him, all households make large, beautiful floral designs in front of their homes and light lamps. Family members try their best to come together, whether from outside the state or the country, to take part in the festivities.
Said Malayalam cine star Prithviraj: “My entire family is here at home. I have come from Kolkata after a shoot and my brother too has taken a day off from schedule.”
Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan also took off to his ancestral home in Alappuzha district to spend time with his entire family.
Delhi too had its share of Onam celebrations with the Delhi Malayalee Association holding a grand cultural event at the Siri Fort auditorium Sunday evening. A packed hall enjoyed the show, which included the traditional Kaikottikali and Mohiniattam dances of Kerala.
Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee was the chief guest for the function that was also attended by Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and senior Congressman M.M. Jacob.
Pookalam (floral design) competitions, cultural programmes and sadhyas were organised by the several Malayali groups across Delhi in the week preceding Onam. Most families, however, preferred to celebrate Thiru Onam at home.
“My husband and me have taken an off and called some relatives and close friends for sadhya in the afternoon. I tried to make as many dishes as possible. My sister and me made a small Pookalam in our balcony too,” said Sandhya Menon, a PR executive who stays in East Delhi’s Mayur Vihar.
And those who couldn’t get the day off will celebrate at night. Said Bijoy Matthew: “Some of us Malayalis in Delhi usually get together for dinner, which of course is in traditional Kerala style.”
Textile shops in Kerala have been doing roaring business in the past week as wearing new clothes is considered an accepted norm on the harvest festival, irrespective of religion.
Apart from feasts and festivities, Onam is also the day when Kerala records maximum liquor sales and the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) had stacked its warehouses with liquor and beer worth over Rs.1 billion.
“Sale of liquor is expected to touch around Rs.200 million on Onam,” a KSBC spokesperson said.