Low-key sadhya for Onam this time, say Malayalees

Every Malayalee family, be in any part of the world, would normally take great pride in rejoicing one of the most important festivals of theirs  — Onam. This year, however, since the state is under turmoil, many Keralites are either unable to celebrate or are making the conscious choice of avoiding it. While this has deeply saddened many, the only thing that’s keeping them going is memories of the previous years’ festivities, some of which they share with DTNext.

“A tradition we’ve followed over the years, even if we’re making something simple and not the entire feast, is call our neighbours home and celebrate with them. They may not even be Malayalees but the spirit of Onam is about sharing this special day with family and friends,” says Anjana Menon, a college professor in the city. “We watch various dances like puli kali or Kathakali on TV and people ask us about Onam and the dishes on the table,” she explains. This feeling of brotherhood one gets during Onam and eating together is the best part of the festival for her. “This year, we have no intentions of celebrating because of the Kerala floods, so the least my husband and I thought we could do is send some groceries and vegetables that have a long shelf-life to refugee camps in Kerala, hoping they can make at least a small feast on the occasion.”

For 26-year-old Anitha Vijaykumar, home and family are far away but the festive spirit in her hasn’t died. “I’m in London this year so I’m not sure how I can celebrate Onam this time. I tried looking for the vegetables we normally use in avial but none of it is available. So I guess I’m going to have to resort to using locally grown produce and the tonnes of masalas my mother sent me from India to make sambar and some payasam,” she sighs.

“If I were back home though, my most favourite dish in the sadhya is inji curry,” she says adding, “We make it in advance and it’s quite a process in itself because after cutting bucket-loads of it, your fingers start burning. However, once you add the tamarind and jaggery, mix it well and eat it, you forget all the uneasiness.” According to her, “Kerala parippu is my second favourite. We make so much of it that even after Onam is done, we store it in the fridge and relish it over the next few days. Parippu with rice, ghee, some salt and pappad is a combination I can live on till the day the world ends!”

We’ve often experienced that the authenticity of how our moms cook, isn’t the same when we make a dish; this young couple in Chennai agrees — “So we go to our friends’ places or the Kerala Malayalee Samajam in the city for Onam celebrations, especially the food,” says Abhinav Nayak, an editor in the film industry. “What’s unique about sadhya at home (Calicut) is that I’m part Konkani, part Malayalee so we include one or two Konkani dishes in the sadhya. For example, we make cabbage curry or a colocasia dish in a different way compared to what you’ll get in Kerala,” he smiles even while thinking of his home and relatives fondly, and wishes they bounce back quickly.