ഓണത്തിന്ടെ അസംസഗല്‍ Attham is here, So are Onam Festivities, Onam Food of Kerala what, where, when and how. Kerala Sadya is served explained by VenuG.

Attham Is Here
I owe this one entirely to my Late DAD

ഓണത്തിന്ടെ  അസംസഗല്‍ 

തിരുവോണം  സുഘിറ്റ് ആഘോഷിക്യു 

Pookalam Flower Art during Onam Festival ... These ones are at a competition at cooperative hall office, Thrissur, Kerala

Above indicating Mahabali

Below Depicting Nehru Boat Race

Dear Mahabali

Keralam is decked in flowers, however less it is, but they ARE THERE

Pookalam's are kept

Vegetables & Rice in The Store

Kai Kotti kali girls are ready

When Are you coming Mahabali

Enna Varappa ? Ain?

Oboshyo Asun

Ami Wait Korchi

Kesariya Balam

Padharo Mhare Des

The invitation is in Malayalam, Bangla and Marwari

So please don't ditch me

And Yes!!!

Mahabali Dude

Happy Onam

Lets meet at Ammini on the 29th

for Lunch

Then Kaapi at Banana Leaf

Pradhaman at Tamarind

Cholcehy Ki? Naki?

Choltei Hobey

Cholchey

Cholbey

For Details about The items in this Banana Platter and name of the Mumbai caterer with contacts

Please Click The Link Below

Detials here

KaikottiKali Dance performed during Onam ( Video 1)

KaikottiKali Dance performed during Onam ( Video 2)

       AS you know, Lord Mahabali was given a blessing , by Lord Vishnu, in his Vamana Avatar, to permit him, to visit, his subjects, one day every year, That day is 29Th August, 2012. So here is my Tribute to this Pious Dude, and the Kodiyan/Greedy/Mhukkad Kind, who was so smart, That he chose a day, when Kerala, is blessed with Onam Poo bloom, when New Rice is in kitchen, jaggery is delivered, and vegetables as kept iun annual stock. Of course, Cocnuts are available all through. Now, he also has attanged for Bomma Kali( Puppet shows) & Mimicry shows by Nedumudi Venu & Nehru Boat Race, Even everyone has stocked the quota of God's Own Country Liquor (Full Ra 300 crores worth, more than that sold in rest of 11 months 20 days) So Cheers Feller!!! You just have to catch a Vishnu Airways, Pushpaka Vimanam & land at Kochi Airport. Mamata Didi will provide Indian Railways services for internal travel. You just come no. And I'm sure, your flight won't be delayed, It is Vishnu Airways!!!

              Today is Attham 21st August 2012, around 5 years back that is 29th August 2007, When I was posted to Currency Chest Mathura, around 200 kilometers  from Jaipur, and I was living a life of a forced Bachelor, 2 monthis into my new posting, all alone in a strange land not my own.  It was the last Friday of the Month, like Jamaat-ul-Vida for every Banker, It was my duty to collect Cash from the stretch of Kosi ( Mathura UP) to Mainpuri ( the constituency of Mulayam Singh) , with 4 vehicles and 2 dozen men a mobile phone with a bsnl number which never stopped working, under my command, I could not go to Jaipur. Duty is Duty, It was Thiruvonam, The most important day for a Malayali, wherever s/he were, s/he should have been home, alas, it was not to be. It was the only Thiruvonam of 48 years of my life , I was away from my enthusiastic Dad , my gourmand Dad, My Gourmet Dad, A Dad who never for a day in Rajasthan let us feel for one day that we were not in Kerala. In all his actions , dress, language, books, maqgazines, newspapers, he was a Pucca Sahib, in Music, he was a "Hindi Kaar" ( That is what a Mallu calls a North Indian) but when it came to Food & Festivals & Dinner, he was a parfect and fastidious Malayalee. In the Ravines of Dacoit Land, The Beehad of Baaghis of Mainpuri( Recollect Paan Singh Tomar) , collecting cash. Alas, this was my Late Dad's last Thiruvonam. I did call though during lunch, strangely he was mellow in tone, spoke only few words. later when I called home at night, Shree Told him, I was the onlyone with him, and he had tears in his eyes. And he had prepared every one of the 38 items he prepared year after year after year. His Vegetable vendors would dread, if they failed to get Petha or drumstick one week before Onam. His preparation started 3 days before, and we were at wits end, and amazed at his energy level, mind you even till the last forthnight of his demise he bought vegetables himself. He passed away on 17th April 2008 and he did feed me Lunch on 28th of March 2008. That was his love for cooking, feeding me , or anyone who came to Kerala. I have tears in My eyes. I'm weeping honestly. So, I dedicate this to My late Dad.

Late Shri Kunduvara Balakrishna Menon 

12Th November 1929  Penang, Malaysia - 17Th April 2008 Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Attham is here but where are the flowers? Story
Who is Mahabali on wikipedia
Onam on wikipedia
Kerala Gets Ready for the Harvest festival Festival on NDTV

A Sadya Vibhavangal a wonderful blog. I need not say much, every item mentioned and recipe given HERE

B Sadya: A Traditional Kerala Feast: with recipes HERE

C Where in Kolkata to eat on Thiru Onam Sadya?

Not at India Coffee House if you are a Mallu. This sounds more like Bhojo Hori Manna with only fish fry and chops. The only  southie stuff here are Vada Sambhar & Kaapi ( which is an insult to Kaapi)

1 Banana Leaf Google search contains Map

2 Ammini . Very pricey but good. Time restrictions adhered to STRICTLY Lunch stops at 2pm

3 Tamarind In my opinion the place is authentic but not run by South Indians has a few flaws, so go if you are not a perfectionist, slow service.

4 Don't even try any other place but a Malayali Home.

5 If it is Poila Boisakh / Bihu or Vishu Read here mixed Fare in Kolklata

Places to Eat in Kolkata 

Bhojo Hari Manna

Kewpies

Flurry's

The Banana Leaf

Ammini

Arsalan

Aminia

The Royal 

Ali Baba

Mocambo, Park Street

Oly's Pub if Drinks included.

Rules of Onam Sadya

RECIPES AT THE LINK GIVEN UNDER A & B

1 It must be at HOME

2 No Onion, Garlic etc

3 Totally Vegan, not a morsel of carnivrous food

4 Sit down at floor

5 To be served on Banana (Plantain) Leaf 

6 Items have an order and way to be served

1 First The leaf is served

2 Salt

3 Banana Sweet Upperi (Chips)

4 Kaya Vartuda ( Banana Chips Salty)

5 Kondattum ( Deep fried marinated anbd dried green chiily)

6 Pulinji ( Tamarind & Ginger chutney)

7 Inji Thayir ( Youghurt/ curd with chilly and ginger)

8 Pachchadi

9 Kichchadi

10 Olan

11 Kalan

12 Avial

12 Erisheri

13 Pulisheri

14 Choru ( Rice)

15 Sambhar (14 and 15 served from behind the person encircling him her in case of Paranalu/ Birthday) 

16 Parippu 

17 Pal Payasam

18 Parippu Pradaman

19 Ada Pradhaman

20 Rasam

21 Mora ( Curds)

21 Manga Curry ( Mango Pickle)

22 Thayira / Sambharam ( Butter milk/chaas / chaach with gren chilly lemon leaves and ginger)

23 Burrp & Fart are expressions of appreciation and a heavy round of Burping and Farting Vedikettu is a regular affair in Nair Households after the Onam Lunch :-)

24 Murukkan or Pan A Mishti/Meetha Pan / Sweet Betel Leaf after Lunch is compulsory wothout which no meal is complete.

25 A POST-LUNCH SIESTA ends a perfect festivity.

A great description about thiru onam with details about when, how, what includes sadya, kai kottikali, puli kali, otham thullal, but does not include snake boat race ( This is a modern post independence addition was originally not a part of Onam celebrations

          A flickr account of Onam Attachamyam parade at Thripunithara, Kerala see as many as you can, wonderful pictures depicting the Onam March during onam, where Puli Kali etc are orchestrated. This one being of a Mahabali impersonation

ഓണത്തിന്ടെ  അസംസഗല്‍ 

തിരുവോണം  സുഘിറ്റ് ആഘോഷിക്യു 

നാരായണ 

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