Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Celebrating Onam in style

Staff Reporter

From `Tiruvadira' to `Onasadhya', the magic of Kerala is there to see

WITH A GUSTO: Girls participating in the traditional dance during the Onam celebrations in Vijayawada on Sunday. - Photo: Raju V.

VIJAYAWADA: Those were the fleeting moments they earnestly wished they could seize forever. Men clad in traditional white and white looked sparkling, while women in red-bordered white silk saris and streaks of jasmine adorning their lustrous locks were a picture of grace and femininity.

Keralites in Vijayawada managed to recreate the magic of their native soil by doing things the traditional way on Sunday.

The occasion was the annual celebration of Onam, the most important harvest festival of Kerala. All activities during the festival period, which ranges from four to 10 days, are centred around worshipping, music, dance, sports, boat races and the indispensable scrumptious spread that is one of the festival highlights.

Cultural bonanza

The feast drew Malayaalis from every nook and cranny of the city to Siddhartha Auditorium, the venue of the gala celebrations. The members experienced a new high as they found the right platform to indulge in fun and frolic. In addition to a cultural bonanza comprising light music, group songs and dance competitions, exciting games like tug-of-war and musical chair lifted their spirits. Women gracefully swayed to the beats of `Tiruvadira', the traditional dance form that is an essential feature of Onam.

"Onasadhya", the assortment of delicacies served on the occasion, is the much-awaited facet that has even the most discerning food connoisseur licking his fingers.

Food actually improves the mood factor. The mouth-watering Onam spread included parippu curry, sambar, avail, kalan, olan, thoran, pulinji, injithair, pineapple pachchadi, erissery, kootu curry, naranji pickle, manga curry, banana chips, sarkarapuratty, payasam, prathamam and lady's finger kichadi.

Authentic delicacy

Not willing to let anything diminish the festival mood, the organizers fetched six chefs from Kerala to ensure authenticity of each delicacy that was served in a traditional style on banana leaves.

Film actress, Sarada, Commissioner of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Natarajan Gulzar and principal of Maris Stella College, Thresiamma, were some of the prominent persons who were part of the celebrations.

Though Sarada hails from Andhra Pradesh, she was specially felicitated by the Surya association for she received the `Urvasi' award twice for the roles she played in Malayaalam movies.

Knowing that happiness is a wonderful but fragile thing and often bursts like a bubble or slips away if not cherished, the members jived de-stressed and rejuvenated.

Nearly 1,200 people joined the gathering. The members connected instantly as strangers turned friends within no time.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Celebrating Onam in style
It's Congress vs TDP in Pedana Municipality
Koneru confident of Congress win
Alliance sure to win, says city Congress president
Crops submerged in many areas
Ganesh fete: Police Commissioner's appeal
Simmering discontent
Hero's welcome
Around the City
In Vijayawada Today
Reader's Mail

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu