My Onam Memories....

Onam Ponnonam

Memories from my childhood.

Onam is a special time in Kerala where everyone no matter what caste, religion or nationality they are, come together as one to celebrate the arrival of King Mahabali for his annual visit to see his subjects.

My personal memories of Onam were during the Onam holidays at my grandmother’s house.

Flower carpets were my favorite. Flower carpets gave women in the house a chance to use their artistic skills to create beautiful floral patterns over a ten day period.

I was assigned the early morning "flower collection" job with Narayani or Kali (my grandmother’s helpers), to the large parambu (yard) that my grandmother had, and collected many different types of wild flowers every day. The collection of wild flowers that would bloom during that time was awe inspiring!  

Hibiscus was a constant reliable source, along with a small purple flower called Ona Poovu that would bloom during Onam in a purple carpet all around the yard. Thumba puvu (Leucas Zeylanice) would be plucked with its leaves as it is a small flower.  Aripoovu (Lantana) and Thechi (Ixora) were plentiful during this time of the year and were plucked in large numbers to be added as fillers when borders were made. There were Shankapushpam in white and purple (Butterfly Pea) , Ashokam (Saraca Indica), Purple colored Vaadamalli (Gomphrena Globosa) which gave the carpet a vibrant look, and Mandaraam the most beautiful white flower available in bunches and was an integral part of the carpet. There was also a flower called Hanuman Keeredam (Hanuman’s crown, Pagoda flower in English) which was red and adored all the yards with its vibrant beauty.

I would even go to "Nandanam" (my grandmother’s cousin’s house) as she had a tree full of beautiful Kolambi poovu (Cypripedium), a yellow flower. None of the flowers mentioned above came in yellow, so I would climb a tall hill to go to her place just to get the flowers. Again, everyone was so generous. There was no "ende" (I) "ninde" (you) attitude, she was only happy to spare them even though she needed them for her flower carpet every day as well. By the time we came back, Kali or Narayani (whoever did not come with me) would have cleared the muttam, or front portion of the house and laid cow dung on, which acts as a glue when you put the petals down (The mention of any kind of dung gives a gross reaction nowadays, however in India, cow dung is considered pure, to be highly medicinal, used as a fertilizer, as fuel and an insect repellant. The cows in those days were given only fresh grass, banana peels, or vegetable peels and rice to eat so it smelled like grass and was not gross).

Valiamma (as we called our maternal grandmother) would have her Paya (mat) ready with many newspapers laid out and would be waiting for us to come back. My mother would take the flowers apart to make the petals ready, and I would lay them with Sarasvaliamma (my aunt). Sarasvaliamma was very good with patterns, had a keen eye for taste, thus she and I would take turns each day laying them. Initially it was on the ground and few years later the flower carpet ‘migrated” to the veranda of the house. Not sure why.

Pookkalam or flower carpet

On the seventh day Kuttan Nair, my grandmother’s karyasthan (manager), had an important task to do. He had to make four “thrikkarappans”, an integral part of Onam. They are made of mud in a cone shape, decorated with rice flour made into a paste. Flowers on long stems are thrust into it. and worshipped for the last 3 days of Onam.

(Thrikkakarappan is the presiding deity in the famous Thrikakkara temple in Ernakulam and is closely associated with the Onam legend. The presiding deity in that temple is Vamana, one of the few temples where Vishnu in the form of Vamana is worshipped. While welcoming King Mahabali to the homes, people place Thrikkakara Appan on a bed made of rice flour and is decked with flowers and pujas are performed. Some people believe that the unique shape of Thrikkakara Appan - the four faces - represents the four stages in the life of a man. Three structures are placed which represent the three steps of land asked by Vamana to King Mahabali.)

Trikkarappan

Ona Kodi was an important part of the festival. It literally means new clothes. Apart from bonus amount along with their salaries, Valiamma gives new dhotis, shirt pieces, sarees blouses, skirts etc. to all her employees and for us as well. Shopping for them was an adventure by itself. She would hire a taxi and off we go to the local town for the whole day. After we buy what is needed for everyone, she manages to add in a few house visits to all her cousin’s houses in town. On the day she gives out the new clothes and an envelop with cash in them, she would sit in the “ummaram padi” (porch bench) with all the new packets lined up next to her, organized very precisely as to who gets what. She would call out the names of the employees, and give it to each one of them. It was my duty to pick it for her while she hands it out to them. What a delight it was to have such a huge responsibility! Kuttan Nair always goes first as he was the manager. He gets shirts pieces and dhotis and thorthus (towels) that would last him a year, Kali and Narayani would get lungis, blouse pieces, thorthus and sarees as well. There were others too who were on the list. It was wonderful to see their joyful expressions.

Sadya (feast) was very elaborate on all the 3 days. But the preparations start many days earlier. In the summer beforehand Valiamma makes special pickles with Mango that is stored in huge Cheena Bharanis (China Jar)  which include Kadu manga (tender mango pickle), kothu manga (pickle with raw mango that is just forming a seed) and Avakka (an andhra pickle made with mangoes that are ready to ripen with hard seed shells). After being locked up for months in a totally dark room called Machu, they see daylight only during the days before Onam. As soon as I see Valiamma go to the Machu with long-handled ladles and Narayani behind her with three steel vessels my mouth starts watering! She dries the vessels and the ladles herself with fresh white cotton cloth multiple times. As usual I would bug her with my questions. Endinathu Valiamme? (Why do you do this so many times Valiamme?) “One speck of dust or one drop of water would spoil the entire jar of pickle as mold would form”, she would explain. She carefully opens the jars and takes a container full of each pickle and from then on for some reason, all the meals tasted ten times better!

My grandmother's house 

Other items are freshly made like sharkkara ooperi (sweet fritters with raw plaintain), kaya varuthathu (fried plaintain), pulin inji (ginger tamarind pickle), inji thairu (ginger yogurt condiment) etc and they all start lining up in different “Cheena Bharanis” (China Jar) with a cloth tied over the top with strings made of Banana tusk fibers. Nangachi, her loyal expert Pappadam maker, would bring her a special stack of freshly made and dried “Onam special” Papaddams to fry.

The number of curries would increase each day as well, leading up to Thiruvonam day. It reaches crescendo on Thiruvonam day with the largest feast and largest Pookkalam, everyone in new clothes, beaming from ear to ear and waiting to eat the sadya together in the afternoon.

The sadya served in banana leaves would have many different curries. The variety of dishes are of tantalizing tastes and textures to tease your palate. Salty, spicy, bitter, sweet, crunchy, liquid, solid, smushy, hard, soft, you name it that banana leaf would have it. Sweet pachadi, sour pickles of differing sourness and spiciness, kalan with the sourness of curd, avial with variety of vegetables etc. We were instructed to enjoy each dish separately and ask for more of what we like, but we could not waste. The Banana leaf had to be licked clean. The desserts were the best as always and usually had 2 kinds of payasams. One semi liquid and the other very liquidy. Learning to drink those payasams by cupping our hands like a spoon was an art to master. The key is not to let it drip from the sides and down your elbow before it reaches the mouth. A highly professional endeavor that needs to be practiced several times. For rookies it is fascinating to watch the masters execute it!

The best memory of all is again about Valiamma. She would make sure Narayani, Kali and others had enough to take home. As soon as cooking was done, she would keep aside for them saying "thottu kootiya keduvarum, vaikunneram vare irikkyende? Rathri ivarkku veetu poyi kazhikkyan illatha" (Don’t drop the ladel in it or serve this, it will get spoilt, it has to stay fresh till the evening for them to take home).  In the evening when they leave, they will have huge "ela pothis" (containers made of banana leaves) plus small other wraps with the extra items for each member of their family. How happily they might have all eaten all those nights!

Sadya or feast

There were always unexpected guests mostly poor people from the neighborhood who could not afford a meal and were probably yearning to celebrate Onam. The familiar ones come to the kitchen area but the shy, hesitant ones stand in the padippura (gate with a roof common in Kerala houses) hoping to get the call to come inside. Valiamma would make sure they all got a stomach full of meal as well. And she had a large wooden chest where she would store used/ill-fitting clothes which she would collect from all her children and grandchildren. She would give them an envelope with cash as well. It is not that she had plenty, but she was generous with what little she had. Those people not only got a full-fledged meal in the afternoon but a few takeaway gifts so that they too can wear something presentable on Onam day and feel happy.

Padippura (Gate)

Every occasion like Onam or Christmas gives us an opportunity not only to celebrate a festival but to make memories for our children and grandchildren and to honor others who have come to our lives before us who taught us kindness, generosity, compassion, and empathy.

Happy Onam Everyone.