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ONAM

Onam is the biggest and most spectacular festival of the state of Kerala.  It is the harvest festival Celebrated in the month of “Chingam”, the first month of Malayalam Calendar.  The Festive last for 10 days starting from the star Atham (Hastham) and lasts till the star Thirvonam. It is a thanksgiving festival, celebrated in commemoration of a glorious past and as a tribute to the sacrifice of the Demon King Mahabali by every Keralite wherever in the world he may be. .  It is really a merry making festival with numerous events and programs, organized in a colorful way. Families gather to rejoice and share their joy with others with new dresses, utensils and household items. 

The Kerala was once ruled by a dynamic ruler King Mahabali, whose reign Kerala witnessed its glorious golden age.  He was a noble and virtuous king. Every body in the state was happy and prosperous and king was highly regarded by his subjects. The growing popularity and fame of the Demon King becomes a threat to the supremacy of God’s. They seek the help from the God Mahavishnu to bring an end to his reign. Lord Vishnu took the avatar of a poor Brahmin, called Vamana, came to the kingdom of Mahabali and asked land as could be covered by his three steps.  The King made a promise and requested Vamana to measure the requisite land. Vamana increased to a massive size and with his one step he covered the whole of the sky and with the other he covered the whole of earth. He then asked for a place to put his third step. King asked Vamana to put his third step on his head. The Vamana did so, pushing Mahabali in the nether world. The King Mahabali is so much attached to his kingdom that, he pleads Lord Mahavishnu for a boon that he be allowed to visit his subjects every year. Lord Vishnu was pleased with King Mahabali’s generosity and granted him this boon. It is the day of the visit of King Mahabali to Kerala that is celebrated as Onam every year.

On Thiruvonam day, King Mahabali is believed to visit every Malayalee home to meet his people. Houses are cleaned and decorated with flowers and traditional lamps. Women dress up in heavy jewelry and new saris put multi-coloured floral decoration on the ground in front of their houses, to symbolically welcome the King Mahabali. This decoration is known as 'Onapookalam’ the colourful arrangements of natural flowers, petals and leaves.  People will wear new dresses and the eldest member of each family presents clothes to all the members of the family and this gift is called as Onakkodi.

The most impressive part of the grand festive Onam is ‘Onam Feast’. It is very elaborate, delicious, and splendid feast consists of traditional authentic 13 varieties of essential main dishes. It's a feast which if enjoyed once is relished for years.  The Onam Feast the so called Onasadya is prepared on the last day of Onam celebration “Thiruvonam”. Hence the Onasadya is also called “Thiruvonasadya”.  There is a saying in Malayalam that "Kanam Vittu Onam Unnanam" which means “We should have the Onam lunch even if we have to sell all our properties". Onam Lunch is given so much importance on Thiruvonam Day.

The meal is served in a creative way on tender banana leaf with the end to the left hand side and to be consumed by hands and not by spoon or forks.  A strict order of the serving of the dishes one after another and also there are clear direction as to what will be served in which part of the banana leaf.  The first course of serving is Parippu, Salt, Pappadam, Pickles, chips and all the curries one after another in predetermined order, at the assigned place on the banana leaf.  Then the main dish rice is served with pure ghee.  The next course is Sambar over rice. Next Rice fallowed by Rasam over rice.  The next course is Payasam.  The feast is completed with serving yogurt over the rice.

Onam Feast Recipes:-

1. Parippu :  Pulp of Split Red Gram
2. Kuttukari: This is a prominent dish, yellow in colour consisting of Vegetables Yam, Ash gourd cooked with Bengal gram dal( Channadal) and Cocoanut
3. Erissery: It consists of Vegetables Yam and Raw Bananas cooked with Channa Dal and cocoanut.
4. Pachadi: This consists of Boiled Vegetables added to Curd with Cocoanut. It can be made of varieties of vegetables Such as Pumpkin, mango, bitter gourd or on fruits such as Pineapple.
5. Kichadi: It is made of curd and cucumber in raw form.
6. Kurukku Kalan: It is prepared by thickening beaten curds by boiling with boiled Vegetables Raw banana and yam.
7.  Olan: It is the simplest watery Ash gourd & Pumpkin dish.
8. Avial: It is very popular semi dry preparation of all vegetables cooked  with curd and Cocoanut
9. InjiKari: Mixture of Curd And Ginger
10. Inji Puli (Puleenji):  Dark brown in colour made up of Tamarind pulp, Ginger, Green Chilies and Jaggery.
11. Thoran: This dry Curry of sliced to very small pieces of  Vegetables
12. Sambar: It is most popular dish relished by the whole of India prepared on split red grams and variety of Vegetables& Tamarind pulp.
13. Rasam: Prepared from Tomatoes treated with tamarind Juice and Split Red Gram pulp.  It has got high medicinal value.
14. Banana Chips: Salty
15. Sarkarapuratty: Sweet Banana Chips
16. Pazhanurukku: Cooked Ripe Plantain
17. Pickles
18. Pappad
19. Payasam Paladapradhaman:  Made on Milk added by Rice Flakes.

PONGAL

Pongal is a biggest and the most important festival of the state of Tamil Nadu.  It is most significant harvest festival celebrated with joy and enthusiasm by every Tamilians wherever in the world he may be.  It marks peace, plenty, fullness, prosperity and happiness. The word Pongal literally means the “Boiling Over” or “Spillover”, that which is over flowing.  It is widely celebrated and most colorful festival.

It is thanksgiving celebration to express thanks and gratitude to the Supreme for a Plentiful harvest.  It is held to honor the sun for a bountiful harvest.  The puja, offering to Sun God is being performed at the auspicious moment of the birth of the new Tamil month “Thai”.  There is one proverb in Tamil which says “Thai Pirandal Vazhi Pirakkum” meaning of which is that the dawn of the month “Thai pave the way to new opportunities” 

 Families gather to rejoice and share their joy and harvest with others with new dresses, utensils and household items.  Women dress up in heavy jewelry and new saris and make attractive designs of rangolis.  It is really a merry making festival and numerous events and programs are organized in a colorful way.

The Word “Pongal” refers to sweet rice prepared on this occasion. The newly harvested rice grains were first cooked on this day with jaggery on milk on an earthen pot called Pongapanae, which is tied with fresh turmeric and fresh ginger saplings with tender leaves. The contents and milk of the pot is boiled until some of the milk is spills over. Both situation and the preparation both are called as Pongal. This overflowing signifies the expression of happiness and plenty.

The turmeric tides on the pot symbolize holiness, ginger marks spice of life and green leaves resembles prosperity. After the preparation, this Sarkkarai pongal is offered to the Sun God as thanksgiving for the plentiful harvest along with sugarcane sticks. Sugarcane is chewed in plenty during the day, denoting joy, happiness and sweetness to come.

The pongal marks the entry of Sun from cancer to Capricorn, i.e. Makaram Rasi, hence this festive is also called as “Makar Sankranti”. This festival also marks the beginning of “Uttarayanam”

The Celebration of “Pongal” falls in mid-January and last for 4 days. The time and date of remains as fixed as it is marked to solar calendar 1^st Day of Pongal which falls on 14^th is called Bhogi Pongal, celebrated within the family with family members to honor the god of Rain. The second day which falls on 15^th is most important and called as Pongal, wherein prayers are offered to the Sun God with a special pudding called Sarkarai Pongal. The Sun is given great importance on that day.  The third day of celebration on 16^h is called Mattu Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows.  The cattle’s especially cows are washed with clean water; decorated with sandal wood and Sindhoor and offered prayers to the cattle’s.  The forth day marked on 17^th known as Kanu Pongal celebrated by women folk for the wellbeing of their brothers

SARKARAI PONGAL: - (Sweet Pongal)

The most relished sweet pudding on the harvest festival Pongal

Recipe:-       Ingredients:

1. Milk                                1 ½ Lits.
2. Raw Rice                        150 gms.
3. Moong Dal                       50 gms.
4. Cashew nuts                    100 gms.
5. Kismis                             50 gms.
6. Jaggery                           450 gms.
7. Cardamom Powder           1 tbsp.
8. Ghee                               200 gms.

Method

1.     Roast Moong dal

2.     Wash Rice and Moong Dal together thoroughly well on               clean water and strain

3.     Clean kismis and chop Cashew nuts to half pieces.

4.     Crush Jaggery

Pour milk in a thick deep vessel with slight narrower neck, which the Tamilians called as “Pongapanae” and place it on fire.  Allow the milk to boil. When the milk gets boiled add washed rice and moong dal and continues on fire stirring constantly.  Add water when required for it to cook.  After well cooked to softness add crushed Jaggery to the mixture. Continue on low flame.  Add ghee little by little and continue stirring as to avoid scorching.  When the consistency reached to semi thickness remove from fire.  Roast the cashew nuts and kissmiss on 2 tsp ghee to light brown colour and pour the same on it.

Offer Prayer to Sun God and enjoy with family and friends.

VEN PONGAL   (Salty Pongal)

Recipe:-       Ingredients:

                   1)       Raw Rice                         200 gm.

                   2)       Moong Dal                       100 gm.                      

                   3)       Cumin Seeds (Jeera )        1 tbsp

                   4)       Black Pepper                     1 tsp.

                   5)       Cashew nuts                   100 gm.

                   6)       Turmeric Powder            a pinch

                   7)       Salt                                 to taste

                   8)       Ghee                               200 gms.

                   9)       Ginger finely chopped    1 tbsp.

                   10)     Curry leaves                   10 to 15 nos.

Method

1)       Roast Moong dal.

2)       Wash Rice and Moong Dal together thoroughly well on clean water and strain.

3)       Chop Cashew nuts to half pieces.

4)       Crush Black Pepper

Boil and cook on clean water the mixture of Moong dal and rice together to soft consistency in conventional method or by a pressure cooker.  Add a pinch of turmeric powder and continue on fire stirring constantly by adding ghee little by little.  When the consistency reached to semi thickness remove from fire.  Roast the cashew nuts, cumin seeds (Jeera) and curry leaves on 2 tsp ghee to light brown colour and pour the same on it.  Add chopped ginger, crushed black pepper and salt and mix well.

It is best to be eaten while fresh and hot. It can be served with Coconut chutney or Tomato chutney.