Even for those who are not prone to nostalgia, Onam opens a floodgate of memories. Of a time when flowers for the pookkalam did not come out of plastic bags, sadya was a community affair that families and neighbours got together to make, festivities brought entire cities and villages alive and how people came together in a shared sense of co-existence.
Celebrated personalities from various fields share their special Onam memories with MetroPlus.
Vinayak Sasikumar
Lyricist
Vinayak Sasikumar
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Special Arrangement
In childhood, Onam meant sadya and I relish the sadya from my hometown, Thiruvananthapuram. Parippu, sambar, vada curry, which is exclusive to the city, two payasams – the pradhaman and paal payasam-boli combo, then another course of rice with pulissery, rasam, buttermilk etc… That is pure nostalgia for me.
Onam was also the time when I looked forward to watching movies on various channels, especially those which I missed out in theatres. Another standout memory is of my college days in Chennai, when [composer] Ouseppachan came as the chief guest for an Onam celebration. A song, which I wrote and my friend composed, was presented. His appreciation was a huge confidence booster for me who had not yet started working in movies. It was during another Onam programme that I staged mimicry with [actor] Kalidas Jayaram, who was my classmate then. It was a musical mimicry where we imitated the voices of various actors through songs. That was perhaps my one and only proper mimicry performance till date!
Arjun Radhakrishnan
Actor
Arjun Radhakrishnan
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Special Arrangement
I have never celebrated Onam in Kerala. Say, after the age of four. By then we had moved to Pune. So every Onam has been about sadya at home with parents. The Poona Keraleeya Samaj organises an Onasadya on the closest Sunday post Onam. That is where you interact with friends and acquaintances who you otherwise would not meet during the course of the year. That makes the memories I have of Onam. And now that it is only my mother and I for the past four years, she makes a sadya for my close friends. My favourites in the spread have been pachadi, inji (ginger) pickle, and palada pradhaman. Since I have moved to Kochi, I hope to start celebrating Onam in Kerala.
Dr Divya S Iyer
Bureaucrat
Dr Divya S Iyer
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
I grew up Thiruvananthapuram and my first understanding of Onam is that it is the time when the city opens up for everybody. Since I stayed behind the Government Secretariat, it was sort of a vantage point to witness how the places around it became incredibly busy with people turning up from across the district. An area which otherwise stood for officialdom becomes another world. And there was the most incredible part of the festivities — witnessing the Onam pageantry featuring a plethora of floats. I felt extremely privileged and it was perhaps the first large crowd I saw in my life. I remember my father lifting me on his shoulders for me to watch the floats and we stood for hours by the roadside. Now, life has come a full circle in that this year I am associated with three departments that will line up their floats — Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited [she is the managing director], Kerala Solid Waste Management Project [as director] and Department of Culture [as director].
Another special Onam was when I was invited to be part of Onam festivities at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan during the tenure of Pranab Mukherji. When the new batch of us civil servants called upon him, I was the one assigned to speak on behalf of the group. I had goosebumps speaking at the Durbar Hall, which has witnessed many historic moments. It felt surreal. I might have spoken well because after that event, I was invited to be part of Onam celebrations that was a wholesome occasion with cultural programmes and a floral arrangement.
Aathira Manali
Designer and founder of designer label Inkpikle
Aathira Manali
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Special Arrangement
Onam, for me, has always been about coming together. My favourite childhood memories are of how the festival brought people closer like family, neighbours, and communities, all celebrating in unity. Growing up in Fort Kochi, I was always inspired by the way different cultures and religions lived together in harmony. That diversity and unity is something I deeply cherish.
Today, I carry that same essence into my work. My Coexist collection at Inkpikle is inspired by this very idea, ie the harmony of contrasts. Just like Onam, where different traditions blend seamlessly, my designs bring together organic shapes from nature with architectural geometry, the abstract shrines and dutch gables that stand by side to create a beautiful mosaic. For me, Onam is not just a festival in Kerala; it’s a reminder of coexistence, of unity in diversity, and that continues to stay relevant both in life and in design.
Sabareesh Narayanan
Stand-up comedian
Sabareesh Narayanan
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Special Arrangement
Since I hail from Tripunithura, Onam memories will always be about Athachamayam (a grand procession to commemorate the return of Mahabali held in the temple town). The Tripunithura Boys’ School, where we played cricket as children, becomes Atham Nagar, the centre of the city’s celebrations.
Athachamayam marks the beginning of the Onam festivities, and I attend this procession without fail every year. Instead of staying at home, I go there to witness the dog show, the Wall of Death stunts, small plays, and mega shows. On the morning of the parade day, I enjoy watching the preparations before it leaves the school grounds. Then I go back home to eat breakfast before walking to NSS Higher Secondary School in Tripunithura, where the procession ends. During Onam, the whole area comes alive, with flower vendors occupying the streets. This vibrant atmosphere excites me more than other traditional Onam experiences like sadya.
Jalaja PS
Artist
Jalaja PS
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Special Arrangement
My standout Onam memory is of thumba poo ada, a sweet snack made of tender thumba (Common Leucas) flowers. At my childhood home in Keezhillam, in Perumbavoor, my mother ensured that Onam was celebrated properly. She would prepare this ada with rice (soaked, dried and powdered with much care) and a delicious filling of coconut, thumba flowers and sugar, unlike the usual ada with the jaggery and coconut filling. Thumba poo ada is made specially for Mahabali, therefore it was also referred to as ‘Maveliyada’. While the jaggery adas were made in plenty, the thumba ones were limited.
Our Onam was as earthy and as close to Nature as it could get. Two days ahead of Thiruvonam, we children would make the Onathappan (symbolising Mahabali) and Onamuthi (an old woman’s form) with soil. These would be arranged in the courtyard, adorned with festive designs and the ada and payasam are offered to them. Unlike the ada that is steamed, these are roasted and therefore coarser in texture. These last for a few days and are served with tea even days after Onam. The cattle in the shed were also fed Onasadya; of course, they preferred to polish off the banana leaves first!
Published – September 04, 2025 08:14 pm IST