Onam or Thiruvonam, is a traditional Hindu harvest festival celebrated in the state of Kerala (India) and elsewhere where Malayalam-speaking populations have settled.It falls in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which in Gregorian calendar overlaps with August–September.Onam is the official state festival of Kerala with public holidays that start four days from Onam Eve (Uthradom). The festival is a major annual event for Malayali Hindus, and it is celebrated with numerous festivities. It includes Vallam Kali (boat races), Pulikali (tiger dances), Pookkalam (flower arrangement), Onathappan (worship), Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal (women's dance), Kummati kali (mask dance), Onathallu (martial arts), Onavillu (music), Kazhchakkula (plantain offerings), Onapottan (costumes), Atthachamayam (folk songs and dance), and other celebrations. The festival remembers Hindu mythologies associated with Mahabali, Vishnu, Kashyapa and Parashurama. It is the New Year day for Malayali Hindus. The festival is also celebrated by Christians of Kerala, in its churches. The festival has been declared as wrong and taboo for Muslims (Haram) by Islamic preachers,but some Muslims observe it anyway.The celebration by non-Hindus has been explained as Onam being a cultural festival.
Onam Sadya
The Onam sadya (feast) is another very indispensable part of Thiruvonam, and almost every Keralite attempts to either make or attend one. The Onasadya reflects the spirit of the season and is traditionally made with seasonal vegetables such as yam, cucumber, ash gourd and so on. The feast is served on plantain leaves and consists of nine courses, but may include over two dozen dishes, including (but not limited to):[ Chips (especially Banana chips), Sharkaraveratti (Fried pieces of banana coated with jaggery), Pappadam, various vegetable and soups such as Injipuli (also called PuliInji), Thoran, Mezhukkupuratti, Kaalan, Olan, Avial, Sambhar, Dal served along with a small quantity of ghee, Erisheri, Molosyam, Rasam, Puliseri (also referred to as Velutha curry), Kichadi (not to be confused with Khichdi) and Pachadi (its sweet variant), Moru (Curd with water), Pickles both sweet and sour, buttermilk, coconut chutney. The feast ends with a series of dessert called Payasam (a sweet dish made of milk, sugar, jaggery and other traditional Indian savories) eaten either straight or mixed with a ripe small plantain. The curries are served with rice, usually the 'Kerala Matta' parboiled rice preferred in Kerala. In hotels and temples, the number of curries and dishes may go up to 30. The importance of the feast to the Kerala's Onam celebration culture is captured in the famous Malayalam proverb "Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam" which means "One must have the Onam lunch even selling his property, to have so". The Travancore-style Onasadya is renowned to be the most disciplined and tradition-bound
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