Things that everyone is sure to miss this Onam

No festival has been celebrated in its usual glory and sadly,  Onam will also be the same due to the pandemic. Here's a list of things that everyone who celebrates Onam, will miss this year.

"Thooshanila murichu vachu, thumbappo choru vilambi, aashicha kariyellam nirathi vachu..." (meaning with fresh banana leaf, freshly harvested rice and with every curry of their liking) is how every Keralite awaits for Onam.

As we get ready to drape our settu and mundu with empty stomachs to relish all the tasty Sadhya, Onam came in yet again but with less grandeur this time. The harvest festival that is celebrated every year in Kerala has its own uniqueness and beauty that makes it a big deal in the State. This New Year is a 10 days affair which begins on Chingam and ends on Thiruonam. It is also celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, who is said to visit the people he once ruled.

This year, however, the State and Keralites around the world will be having a closed Onam celebration because of the Pandemic. While the festival is awaited for the full course meal that people get to enjoy on the vazha ella or the banana leaf, there are a bunch of other things that happen during the 10 days of the festival and people are sure to miss them.

Check out these Onam rituals:

Pulikali

Vallam Kali and watching the spirit of Onam liven up

Having our cousins over and planning on all the celebration. Also the fight over who gets to select the pookalam (flower rangoli) designs

Community Onam celebration programs and watching uncles go all out over 'Aarrpo, irro irrro irro...'

Vadam Valli i.e. Tug of War

Kummattikali

Vallam Kali sadhya

We hope the Pandemic doesn't dampen your excitement for Onam even if you can't celebrate it in its true grand spirit.

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