Two years after the Covid-19 pandemic, Mumbai’s Malayali community are excited to bring in the harvest festival by decorating their houses with a pookkalam, the flower rangoli. The festival is incomplete without enjoying a feast of the traditional sadhya, and celebrating with friends and family
This year, the 10-day festival of Onam will culminate on September 8 with a delicious Onam sadya. Photo Courtesy: istock
Mala Kalyanram is elated to be celebrating the festival of Onam after a two-year gap due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While people did take part in the festivities in a small way during the last two years, the Chembur resident wasn’t able to carry out her annual ritual of making the pookkalam (flower rangoli) with her children and grandchildren. However, this year is going to be different because the 59-year-old has managed to make it every day leading to Onam. “While I can’t do it myself anymore because I can’t bend easily, I sit near my grandchildren to tell them how to make the design. It wasn’t possible in the last two years because the flowers weren’t easily available but this year, we have done it on all the days,” she explains.