As the festive occasion of Onam draws near, so does the joy of enjoying a traditional sadya feast. Growing your own vegetables for the big feast is an enjoyable effort at a time when demand is rising for organic and fresh produce. Growing your own pesticide-free, nutrient-dense vegetables in a pot garden or on a balcony will give your Onam sadya a unique, personal touch. In addition to improving your health, eating fruits and vegetables that you grew yourself is a great way to get in touch with nature and boosts the festive mood. Take this opportunity to celebrate the festival of Onam by planting a garden and harvesting some of the season's most delicious vegetables to share with your loved ones.
As part of their preparations for the Onam celebration, the staff at Kochi's State Seed Farm in Aluva have prepared a tray of seedlings that include both flowers and vegetables. The farm has introduced a Thiruvonam assorted seedling tray (300), which includes 98 compartments filled with the seedlings of vegetables and fruits necessary for the celebration. There are eight different types of vegetables (brinjal, bitter gourd, tomatoes, pumpkin, chilies, and lady's finger) and four or five different types of flowers (marigold, chrysanthemum, and bachelor's button) for sale at the Eco Shop in the Aluva Metro Rail Station.
In 2017, the Agriculture Department's 'Onathinu Orumuram Pachakari' programme aimed to celebrate Onam as a harvest festival by providing celebrants with a delicious Onasadya made from locally grown, pesticide-free veggies. The plan was for 63 million households to grow vegetables collectively. Schools benefited because that's where a lot of the big Onam celebrations took place. As part of the initiative, Krishi Bhavans provided free seed packets and saplings to schools for kids to take home and grow in time for Onam.
"People from all walks of life should take to re-establish the state's farming culture and to ensure availability of safe-to-eat vegetables," the minister, V S Sunilkumar said during the project inauguration in 2017.
Sadhya, a colourful meal served on a banana leaf, is a traditional part of harvest celebrations. 'Onam Sadhya' refers to the feast held on the tenth day of the yearly harvest festival Onam. The variety and richness of the feast's flavour have made it famous.
The traditional feast for the festival is called Onam Sadhya, and it consists of more than twenty-five vegetarian courses served on a banana leaf. Preparing for such a massive feast requires the entire community to work together, creating a moment that will last a lifetime. Traditional meals from all throughout the state, including fried snacks, a range of curries, pickles, and desserts, are served with red rice.