Flower rangolis and delicacies mark the fest
Miles away from Kerala the Malayalee community of the steel city celebrated their harvest festival of Onam on Sunday. In the locality also known as 'little Kerala' the community held the celebrations with traditional gaiety and much fanfare.
The houses were decorated with flowers to welcome Raja Mahabali who once ruled Kerala. According to the tradition, floral decorations are must as it is believed that Raja Mahabali once in a year comes on Earth to see his 'praja'. As part of the celebrations a member of Kerala Samajam, Ganesh Pillai dressed up as Mahabali.
The premises of Kerala Samajam was abuzz with activities as men and women dressed in the traditional 'mundu' and 'mundum veshti' (white outfits) joined the celebrations and enjoyed traditional food. Those who were unable to rush to their native hamlets and ancestral homes to celebrate Onam used the occasion an opportunity to celebrate the festival.
A floral competition known as pookala matsaram (flower competition) was also organised today where community girls and women participated actively. There were about six teams at the contest today. Also there was Maha Thiruvathira, a traditional dance of Kerala by 110 ladies.
A P R Nair, chairman, Kerala Samjam said that in Kerala the biggest festival is called Onam. It signifies the home-coming of King Mahabali. Onam is also celebrated as the day of advent of Vamana and Bali. It marks the beginning of a new life. The festival is all about celebrating on the grand Onasadya (Onam feast), shopping, social reunions and welcoming King Mahabali by spreading good blessings.
About 23 variety of food known as Ona Sadhya were made to mark the harvest season. This is one day when the Malyalees eat on banana leaves with preparations like vegetable curries, kaalan, olan and avial. The most important dish is the payasam. This is the day when people wear new dresses and visit their family and relatives. The Kerala Samajam will also organise cultural programmes with well-known artists of Kerala on Nov 15 to 17 as community members and children will be able to participate.
“It is an important day for us. We try and find out as many varieties of flowers as possible to make the design more colourful,” said Sunidhi Nair, a housewife who participates in the flower decoration contest every year. “Every year the members of the community unite here to participate in the cultural activities, which are followed by community lunch. We try to celebrate the festival in our own traditional way,” noted Nair.