Traditional Kerala Feast and Cultural Programmes to Mark Onam Celebrations
Key Points:
- Kerala Samajam Jamshedpur to celebrate Onam on Sunday, August 30
- Onasadya feast planned for around 1,250 people with over 20 traditional dishes
- Cultural programmes to include Thiruvathira dance, Kolkali and boat race tableau
JAMSHEDPUR – The Kerala Samajam in Jamshedpur is preparing to celebrate this year’s Onam festival with considerable enthusiasm. Programmes will begin at 10.30 am on Sunday, August 30, on the school premises of the Kerala Samajam. Cultural performances will be held alongside an elaborate Onasadya featuring traditional Kerala dishes.
The welcoming of King Mahabali will be among the main attractions of the celebrations. A member of the samajam, dressed as the king, will move among the gathering and offer blessings to those present. Besides this, the event will feature floral rangoli, Thiruvathira dance, Kolkali performances, a tableau depicting a boat race, music and various games.
Arrangements have been made to serve the Onasadya to around 1,250 people during the festivities. The traditional feast, served on banana leaves, will include more than 20 dishes such as rice, dal, sambar, rasam, kalan, olan, avial, thoran, koottukari, erissery, buttermilk, mango and lemon pickles, ginger chutney, banana chips, papad and pal payasam.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Samajam committee has invited residents of the city as well as members of the community to join the Onam celebrations and the Onasadya. According to the committee, the programme aims to keep alive the rich culture and traditions of Kerala and to strengthen bonds of fellowship among residents.
Onam is one of the most widely observed festivals among Kerala’s diaspora communities across India, marked each year with feasts, floral displays and traditional games recalling the legendary reign of King Mahabali. Community organisations in Jamshedpur have in the past held similar cultural gatherings, including recent Sawan-season events by women’s groups at New Baridih Park and in Sakchi, reflecting the city’s tradition of community festival celebrations. A recent workshop on Jharkhand’s vanishing folk arts was also held in the city, drawing participants keen to preserve traditional practices, much like the Kerala Samajam’s own efforts to sustain its cultural heritage.
