Onam 2022: Mumbai’s Keralites are excited to bring back festivities with rituals and traditional sadhya

Mala Kalyanram is elated to be celebrating the festival of Onam after a two-year gap due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While people did take part in the festivities in a small way during the last two years, the Chembur resident wasn't able to carry out her annual ritual of making the pookkalam (flower rangoli) with her children and grandchildren. However, this year is going to be different because the 59-year-old has managed to make it every day leading to Onam. "While I can't do it myself anymore because I can't bend easily, I sit near my grandchildren to tell them how to make the design. It wasn't possible in the last two years because the flowers weren't easily available but this year, we have done it on all the days," she explains.

Every year, Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala is celebrated during this time of the year. The festival which commemorates the return of King Mahabali, who according to legend, was considered to be a good king even though he was a demon. The festival is observed by the Malayali community over 10 days and finally culminates into a celebration, which includes a Keralites enjoying a delicious sadhya, that comprises of many dishes, that are prepared by every family on the day, and eaten on a leaf. This year, Onam is celebrated on September 8 and just like Kalyanram, other Mumbaikars in the city are excited about celebrating the festival with friends and family.

Relishing an Onam sadya
For Andheri-based Sarada Krishnan, the last two years have been very rewarding after she started South Side Mumbai, which delivers delectable South Indian food around Mumbai, at a time when many people were confined to their homes and weren't able to go out and celebrate with friends and family. "I celebrated the last two years by feeding a grand sadhya to people in the city. It has been so fulfilling," shares the 30-year-old. "After a busy morning post sending all the lunches, we will visit a temple, and have family time in our house, which we have decorated with a pookkalam," adds Krishnan. While her Onam celebrations haven't changed much, she admits being happy with the fact that she won't be celebrating the festival amid the looming pandemic and lockdown.

Krishnan and her team will be delivering the food to Mumbaikars in the morning but she will enjoy the Onam sadhya with her family later in the day, after conducting all the other rituals. "My family will indulge in a grand sadhya of 20 different traditional dishes bursting with different flavours," says the film producer-turned-home chef, who admits it is the best part of the festival.

It is no different for Kalyanram, whose family will be making and indulging in a sadhya, which will have as many as 14 dishes, of which they started the preparation for, days before the festival. The meal at her house will include dishes such as two types of pachadi (raita), kootu (made from coconut, white pumpkin and chana dal) among other favourites. It will also include sambar, rasam and curd that is served along with rice. Last but not the least, the Onasadya is incomplete without sweet dishes such as pal ada pradhaman (payasam), parrippu pradhaman (made from lentils and jaggery) and chakka pradhaman (made from jackfruit and jaggery). "When we were in Kerala, parents, grandparents and everybody used to come together to celebrate, and the food used to be cooked on wood-fire, giving it a unique taste," she adds, reminiscing her younger days, when they also went to watch the boat race after that.

Play Quiz: How well do you know the Onam festival?

Celebrating with family and community
Not too far away, Aishwarya Kalyanram, her daughter who lives in the same suburb, is going to be celebrating the festival this year too like her mother. However, it will be different because she has moved to a new neighbourhood. She explains, "We have just moved here and I'm very excited to see how every festival is celebrated here by everyone irrespective of where they come from."

The 36-year-old says her society is going to arrange an Onam sadhya for all its members and it will be a community affair unlike how she has celebrated it till now every year - a quiet celebration with family. "There will also be a Kaikottikali dance in which I might participate," she adds. Junior Kalyanram will be enjoying the festival with her husband and son, which she has brought in by faithfully making a pookkalam in their house, just like her mother.

Elsewhere in the city, Kharghar-based Anirudh Kumar's father being very traditional, they started their shopping a day ago, and are definitely excited for the festival because of the way the pandemic affected their celebrations in the last two years. He explains, "I remember my mom scrambling for the last coconut on a grocery app, and before that I was stationed outside. So, this would be the first time in a long time that we'll have a complete celebration. I've not been much of a family guy, but I am looking forward to it this year."

Like every other Keralite in the city, they will also be enjoying a sadhya, the dishes for which they try to keep minimal to avoid wastage. "Considering that several people with different palates come to eat, it is in my mom's best judgement what would suit them." The family will indulge in approximately five-six dishes and a sumptuous payasam. "It is also sort of like our family tradition, where we cook payasam together. Altogether I can't wait for tomorrow!", shares Kumar, who expresses what many members of the community feel this year.

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