Elsa Angel Rose
BRINGING TRADITION AND TOGETHERNESS TO ONAM Making a sumptuous Onam sadya and dressing up in traditional outfits have always been non-negotiables. But lately, there’s a new item on the Onam checklist: shooting a trending reel before the sadya gets cold! “We enjoy simple games and different activities during Onam. But one thing we do regularly is make reels with different Onam songs. Making the pookalam and creating Onam reels together is endless fun,” said Sabitha Kumar, a Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam teacher and practitioner from Ponda. Sabitha moved to Goa after marriage about 19 years ago. She added, “The children enjoy taking part and making reels featuring dances, dramas, and Onam songs. The togetherness of family and friends makes Onam special for us. Everyone comes together to celebrate, have fun and enjoy the festival.” Putting up the Onam pookalam and preparing the sadya have always been a family task for her.“We make the pookalam, wear traditional clothes and enjoy the Onam sadya together. We also share old memories and lots of laughter,” said Sabitha.
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KEEPING THE NOSTALGIA OF ONAM ALIVE “My first memory is the smell of fresh flowers in the morning. We used to wake up early and spread them out in the front yard. We would start with a small pookalam with just yellow marigolds and make it bigger every day till Thiruvonam. I still remember that feeling: amma in the kitchen, the sound of grinding spices, and all of us getting excited about our new Onam clothes,” reminisced Sarath Sankar, a Malayali businessman who has made Goa his home since 2000. “Celebrating Onam in Goa makes him feel connected to his roots, which go back to Kerala. “Every year we call our neighbours and friends here for Sadya. We share our food and traditions with them. It feels nice; we’re keeping our roots alive even though we’re away. It gives us a real sense of belonging,” said Sarath. Today, Sarath is keeping it simple by planning a fully homemade sadya with all the main dishes and some small games for the kids in the garden, including a vadamvali (tug of war), to make it fun, just like it used to be.
ONAM: A CELEBRATION OF UNITY “We enjoy playing games like the lemon-and-spoon race and sack race. Back in our hometown, Onam means a whole lot more: tug-of-war, sack races and even exciting games like finding hidden parcels. It is all about the friendly little competitions and plenty of laughter,” said P V Suresh Kumar, a civil engineer in the water resources department of Goa and Ex General Secretary of GNSS, from Margao. When it comes to the Onam outfits, it’s kept fully traditional. “The men usually wear kurtas, while the women dress in the beautiful set mundu. There is something about traditional Onam attire that instantly makes the day feel festive!” said Suresh. The beauty of Onam lies in bringing people from different cultures and backgrounds together to celebrate as one. “Our celebrations are not limited to just family or the Malayali community; friends and neighbours from different backgrounds join in too. For us, that shared laughter, food and festive spirit is what truly makes Onam special. What I love most is seeing people from different communities come together and celebrate as one. That, to me, is the real beauty of Onam,” shared Suresh.
A THIRUVONAM OF FLOWERS, FOOD AND MORE A beautiful Thiruvonam day looks as beautiful as the pookalam itself. “We start the day early wearing comfortable clothes because there is plenty of preparation to be done, cutting vegetables, setting up the Onam Sadya, and laying out the Pookalam. Once the main work is finished, we dress in traditional Kerala attire to bring in the festive feel. The Pookalam is a central part of our celebration; we try to keep up the 10-day pookalam starting from Attam to Thiruonam. Our entire family comes together to create it, share a grand meal, and enjoy quality time,” said Rashmi Harish, a Malayali entrepreneur from Mormugao. Onam Sadya is certainly one of the biggest highlights of the day, comprising dishes and curries including Avial, Thoran, Kalan, Pachadi, Kichadi, Sambar, Parippu, kootu curry along with pickles, Pappadam, banana chips, and different varieties of Payasam. “For Onam 2026, we want to make the celebrations even more lively and inclusive,” said Rashmi.
