Onam celebrations are going on in full swing, with Malayalis around the world indulging in the elaborate Sadya spread. The annual harvest festival marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. Festivities are highlighted by fresh flower decorations and power-packed boat races, among others. But the best part, of course, remains the multi-course meal - Onam Sadya. This enticing vegetarian meal features more than 24 dishes that are served on a banana leaf and eaten without any cutlery, while sitting on the floor.
As people mark the occasion with a grand Onam feast, celebrities also seem to be indulging themselves with good food. Actors Mohanlal, Dulquer Salman, Mahesh Babu, and Vijay Sethupathi were among the first ones to greet their fans on Onam, through social media messages. Meanwhile, stand-up comedian and television presenter Ramesh Pisharody shared a glimpse of his Onam celebrations. Taking to his Instagram stories, Ramesh, who is known for his witty performances on stage, shared a couple of pictures of his Onam celebrations.
In the pictures, we saw Ramesh with actor and politician Suresh Gopi, sharing a sadya meal. Suresh was seen serving food to the other guests as well. From rice, sambar, and avial to pachadi and a host of chutneys and pickles, the feast looked every bit delicious. Take a look:
The celebration sure looks every bit traditional, and wholesome. “As a guest, a waiter, and a housekeeper.. Sureshettan enriched our Onam. Thanks to Matini too”, Ramesh captioned the picture, tagging Suresh. Actor, TV presenter, and comedian Nadirsha as well as producer-director NM Badusha also joined Ramesh for the festivities.
A traditional Onam Sadya feast is an eclectic mix of many interesting delicacies - including kaaya varuthathu (banana chips), sarkara upperi (jaggery coated banana chips), chena varuthathu (yam chips), pickles, and chutneys - like puli inji (tamarind and ginger chutney) and pachadi (pineapple in yoghurt) - besides curries such as theeyal (mixed vegetable gravy), erissery (mashed beans and pumpkin with coconut gravy), avial, pulissery (yoghurt-based curry), kootu curry (black chickpeas curry), and more. The feast is healthy, wholesome and just too delicious to resist!
Happy Onam!