Who will not be happy if his or her birthday is celebrated by about 50 million people?
Onam is celebrated to mark the arrival of harvested paddy/rice into the granary of each and every house, known in Malayalam as "illam nira".
On that day one has to pamper oneself with a feast or " Onam Sadhya", even if required to sell one's property for the purpose! Thus goes the encouragingly said words,"Kanam vittu Onam unnam", in Malayalam !
Yesterday, I went to the nearby -Manama- Store, wading through the thronging crowd and bought a traditional "Mundu" and a packet of sweets sourced from home country, made of plantain and jaggery for celebrating the Onam.
I also bought grated coconut, gray gourd('elavavan') and other ingredients required to make a traditional Kerala dish"Olan" to test my culinary skills and the tolerance level of my guests who would visit me on the day of Onam!
When I realized that this year Onam festival falls on Seventh September, my feeling of 'Dejavu' has no bounds as it is my birth day too!
My warm "Asamsaghal" to millions of brothers and sisters celebrating Onam festival!
