Kerala's largest festival ends with a feast fit for a king: Jasmine Mangalaseril
Friday marked the start of Onam, Kerala's 10-day harvest festival celebrated by Waterloo-Wellington's Malayalee population.
It's the largest festival in the South India state of Kerala, and marks the end of the monsoon and the start of the rice harvest season. Depending on when it falls in the Malayalam calendar it can take place in August or September.
Because of its millennia-old spice trade that stretched from the Mediterranean to Australasia, Kerala has one of India's most diverse populations. And while Hindu legends are associated with Onam, everyone celebrates regardless of religion.
"This is about culture. Onam is Kerala's national festival," said Jaimon Joseph, co-owner of Palm Valley, a restaurant in Cambridge and Kitchener.
"It's celebrated by Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and atheists. This is the only celebration celebrated by everybody."
Palm Valley Indian Restaurant in Kitchener hold an Onasadya feast for Waterloo region's Keralite community. Manager Nithin C Mohan (left) and chef Eldose Paul say this year they expect more than 2,000 people to partake. (Jasmine Mangalaseril/CBC)
Atham begins the start of the festival, while Thiruvonam, the most significant day, ends it.
A feast for King Mahabali
It's a joyous time in the state, some of which is attributed to preparing for King Mahabali's homecoming.
According to legend, he was a benevolent Asura (demigod), who was beloved by his subjects because of the idyllic society he fostered: there was equality, no one suffered and everyone was safe.
Some Onam preparations are considered a welcoming for Mahabali: creating pookalams (floor designs made of flowers) or spluttering mustard seeds for foods served at the Onasadya feast on Thiruvonam.
A floral display called a pookalam is created to welcome King Mahabali. Each day of the festival the display grows bigger and bigger. (Siro Photography)
"Like most of the curries in Kerala, you have to put mustard in the coconut oil. That mustard will pop. When that smell comes, that's when Mahabali will come. That's a story that I heard from my grandma," said Rajeev Pillai, president of the Grand River Malayalee Association (GRMA).
The Onasadya is eaten at mid-day.
Many families start making one or two dishes a day in preparation for the feast. There's often 20 to 30 dishes served, but there can be as many as 60.
"Rice is the main component. You have different curries or side dishes. Some of them are sweet. Some of them are sour, bitter, hot," explained Das. "You have to have balance."
The vegetarian feast is served on a traditional banana or plantain leaf and eaten with the hand, with the leaves' aromas, flavours and essential vitamins released into the foods.
Onam in Waterloo region
The GRMA is one of Ontario's largest Malayalee cultural associations. Six hundred guests attended last year's Onam celebrations.
Six hundred people attended the sadya at last year's Onam festival celebrations held by the Grand River Malayalee Association. (Siro Photography)
This year's event will be on Sept. 21 and they expect a similar number of attendees.
"With the rice and 20 plus curries, we make sure that people can enjoy fresh, hot food with family," said Pillai. "The food is the main attraction. The second one is the cultural activities that we have."
Those activities include an address by an actor portraying Mahabali and performances by professionally trained classical dancers.
"Everybody is happy. Our aim is that our kids can see what Onam is. It's in our blood, right? It's our culture," said Pillai.
