Onam Is A Unique Festival, which celebrates Harmony: PM Modi

Today is the main day for Onam festivities in Kerala. This year the celebrations have largely gone online due to the restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. One may not be physically together but online platforms do give the chance to meet and greet each other virtually.

The Kerala tourism department has brought Malayalee’s across the world together. Nearly every day, interesting facts about Onam are being shared on their Twitter handle. Music, clothes, how to make pookalams (flower carpets) and traditional Onam Sadya or dishes for the grand feast are being posted.

Things that make special in Onam:-

Fresh flowers are a big part of Onam celebrations

Wishes you can send to your loved ones

•  Wishing you a life as colourful as pookalams!

•  Pray that your life is filled with happiness and success!

•  Wish and your loved ones a joyful and prosperous Onam 2020!

•  May Onam marks the beginning of abundance and happiness in your life.

•  Warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Onam!

•  Wish King Mahabali blesses you with all that you desire!

•  May you be showered with good luck, prosperity and good health.

•  Onam is a celebration of the home-coming of Emperor Mahabali. May you have a blessed year ahead.

 

Onam celebrations are muted in Kerala this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Kerala government is encouraging online celebrations in a bid to strike a balance between its biggest and most popular festival and the pandemic.

 

History 

We have heard legends of the good winning the evil, but Onam is an exception because the battle was between a benevolent King Mahabali and Vamana (incarnation of god Vishnu). Mahabali was the generous king who always stood for justice and equality. His kingdom and subjects lived in joy and harmony, which even made the Gods jealous! Vamana succeeded in wiping off Mahabali from Earth, but couldn’t erase him from the hearts of Keralites. Onam is the homecoming of Mahabali, and the 10 days harvest festival is celebrated with pomp and prosperity in the memory of the golden past. But this year, the pandemic has overclouded the harvest festival. In an exclusive Onam special video, Mollywood actor Kishor Satya shares his thoughts on why this Onam is significant. Onam is the festival that represents equality and prosperity and also gives hope of a prosperous future. Kishor affirms the same and observes that Onam 2020 has huge relevance. “The first thing that crosses my mind during this Onam, is the frontline workers who are working towards eradicating the pandemic by putting their health and life at threat. The are plenty of health workers, policemen, volunteers, and frontline workers tackling the current scenario. Let’s pay respect to the COVID-19 warriors during this Onam,” he says. The actor also shares that Onam is a concept of equality and all of us are equal. “Onam is a lovely concept of equality where all people are treated the same. I would say the ideology of Onam makes sense during this Onam. The rich and the poor are equal before the pandemic. All of us are equally affected,” he adds. Meanwhile, Kishor Satya is popular for his performances in movies 'Youth Festival', 'City of God', ' Oozham' among others. His recent release was ‘Isha’, a horror thriller.

 

 

The joy and festivities of the harvest festival!

Onam also mentioned as Thiru-Onam or Thiruvonam, falls within the first month of the Malayalam calendar, Chingam. It is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in Kerala. Onam preparations and celebrations go on for a period of ten days and this year the festival started on August 22, leading up Onam on August 31.

Malayalis around the world celebrate The 10-day harvest festival of Kerala and the return of the legendary King Mahabali, by organising a grand feast, also known as Onam Sadhya. Traditionally, over two dozen vegetarian dishes are prepared for this grand feast and served on banana leaves. Preparations for this auspicious occasion usually start a few days in advance. This year, Onam is being celebrated on August 31, 2020.

Food that specially treated in Onam

1. Pappadam

No Onam Sadhya is complete without these pappads made from rice flour.

2. Upperi

Perhaps the most beloved item on this list, banana chips are served by the handful before the other 25 dishes.

3. Sharkara Varatti

This sweeter version of banana chips is made out of jaggery and though the sweet made be hard to eat, it will certainly leave you wanting more.

4. Inji Curry

Inji curry is made from ginger, tamarind and jaggery. In most Malayali households, this is the first thing that is prepared in the days leading to the 10th day of Onam.

5. Mango Curry

This mango pickle will add a spicy kick to your meal.

6. Naranga Curry

Of the two types of pickles served at Onam Sadhya, this sour lemon pickle will certainly add some zest to your meal.

7. Pachadi

Another yoghurt-based dish for the feast, this is a curry made with either pineapple or bitter gourd and grated coconut.

8. Olan

This is made with ash gourd and red beans splashed with a generous amount of hand-pressed, authentic coconut milk.

9. Ellisheri

This dish includes pumpkin, red beans, and a generous amount of grated coconut.

10. Avial

An often-ignored dish on this occasion, Avial is one of the best-mixed vegetable dishes. It is made by mixing vegetable with grated coconut and is cooked in coconut oil and milk.

 

 

 

PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today greeted people on the occasion of Onam. Onam is a "unique festival that celebrates harmony...," the Prime Minister wrote on Twitter. Kerala is celebrating Thiru Onam today, the main day in the ten-day Onam festival, traditionally marking a bumper harvest.

 

Prime Minister Modi posted a short portion from his 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast on Sunday on Onam. The video shows people making pookalams (flower carpets), farmers harvesting ripe paddy crop and families engaged in vibrant festivities. "Greetings on Onam...."It is additionally an event to precise gratitude to our hardworking farmers. May everyone is blessed with joy and best health," PM Modi wrote along with the video.

 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah greeted people on the occasion of Onam. Mr Shah said in his tweet that he hoped the festival brings harmony and prosperity. "Warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Onam. May this festival bring joy, harmony, good health and prosperity in everyone's lives. Happy Onam", the house Minister posted on the microblogging site.

 

Onam celebrations are muted in Kerala this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Kerala government is encouraging online celebrations in a bid to strike a balance between its biggest and most popular festival and the pandemic. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier appealed to people to follow the guidelines for Onam festivities and celebrate at home. Public gatherings and crowding for Onam Sadya have not been allowed by the state government. Fresh flowers, which are a key part of the festivities, can't be brought from outside to check the spread of the virus.