Source: Atlas Obscura
For almost two weeks in the month of August or September, the entire South Indian state of Kerala is closed for business, and open for feasting. The occasion? Onam, Kerala’s most iconic festival, and the setting for one of India’s most delicious feasts: the Onam sadhya.
A harvest festival that takes place in Chingam, the first month of the Malayali calendar, Onam is also said to commemorate the mythical ruler Mahabali, a beloved king who defeated the Hindu gods in battle only to be banished to the underworld by Vishnu. In recognition of his just and prosperous reign, however, the gods allow Mahabali to return to his people once a year.
People across Kerala celebrate both the harvest and Mahabali’s return by making ornate flowered pookalam designs, dancing the pulikali and kummattikali, and competing in vallam kali or boat races. The most delicious tradition, however, comes on Thiruvonam, the climax of the festival, in the form of the sadhya, meaning “feast” or “banquet” in Malayalam.Traditionally consisting of more than 26 dishes, Onam sadhya’s elaborate menu includes several different kinds of pickle, fresh and fried bananas, buttermilk, and a variety of papadums. Main vegetable dishes include erissery, pumpkin and beans in coconut gravy; kichadi, okra or bitter gourd in yogurt sauce; and parippu, or boiled lentils, all served over piles…
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