Kochi, Kerala

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Onam is a significant festival for Malayalis living in Kerala and other states of India. However, Onam Sadhya in Thrikkakara is special. 

Legend says that Thrikkakara, located in Ernakulam district, is where it all began. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu took the Vamana avatar and visited King Mahabali. He sent him to the netherworld and granted him the boon to visit his kingdom once a year. 

Thrikkakara might be the only temple in India where devotees worship Lord Vishnu in his Vamana avatar. A statue of the deity of Mahabali also resides in the temple premises.

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According to folklore, the Chera kings assembled all the local rulers and chieftains for an annual month-long gathering at the Vamana Moorthy Temple. The king asked every household to celebrate Onam festivities when they could not go to Thrikkakara. 

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 The Onam Sadhya at the Thrikkakara temple are noteworthy. The traditional feast, served on a plantain leaf, may not be as grand as the Onam feast but has some of the most delicious Malayali dishes, including sambar, kalan and chena.

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Onam is a ten-day harvest festival, which began on August 20 with Atham, the first day. The feast at the Vamana Moorthy Temple starts on Uthradam day, the second-last day when people welcome the spirit of King Mahabali. Each devotee who visits the temple receives a lavish meal called Uthradasadya. The day begins with 'anayoottu' or the feeding of elephants. 

On the last day, the temple serves the Onasadhya (Onam feast) in the sprawling courtyard from 10 am onwards. It includes several traditional dishes like the Rasam. Injuthairu (ginger in curd) is also equivalent to 108 curries. Onam feast preparation starts on the ninth day in homes surrounding the temple. 

Other Onam customs at Thrikkakara include setting up the Onathappan, a long four-faced pyramid made of red clay and splattered with rice batter at the centre of a flower arrangement or base of rice flour. People use the same clay to fashion replicas of traditional kitchen tools like grinding stones and coconut scrapers. In some regions of Kerala, there is a tradition of shooting a poovada with a fake bow and arrow before distributing the pieces.

On Thiruvonam, the final day of the Onam festival, people light lamps in their homes and offer sadhya items to King Mahabali. Food is also part of the folklore that explains how the Thrikkakara Onam celebration went from a month-long event to 10 days. It appears that it happened due to a Brahmin's curse, resulting from his wrongful accusation of stealing a bunch of golden plantains. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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