Onam is primarily a harvest festival, and the sadhya represents the abundance of food and prosperity after a successful rice harvest. It is a thanksgiving to nature for the bountiful crops. The variety of dishes, often exceeding 20, reflects this abundance.
According to religion, the meal is an offering to the gods, especially Lord Vishnu, who is believed to have incarnated as Vamana to subdue King Mahabali. The careful preparation, serving, and consumption of the sadhya are done in a ritualistic manner, showing reverence to divine forces and nature.
According to legend, Onam celebrates the return of the mythical King Mahabali, under whose reign Kerala enjoyed a golden era of equality, happiness, and prosperity. The grand feast is prepared to honour his spirit and ensure that his people continue to prosper, symbolising the inclusiveness and egalitarian spirit that King Mahabali’s reign represented.
In ancient times, the feasts during Onam became a way to demonstrate wealth and hospitality. The more dishes there were, the more prosperous the family or village was. This tradition of grandeur and generosity continues today with families often preparing dozens of dishes for the sadhya.
Over time, the Onam sadhya evolved from a simple harvest meal to a highly ritualised and elaborate feast. Early records suggest that such feasts were common in temple festivals and village gatherings, and they were typically organised by landlords and wealthy patrons for the entire community.
Temples and community gatherings played a key role in the development of the sadhya as a large communal feast. It was common for temples to host massive meals during Onam, serving thousands of devotees at a time. The preparation of the sadhya involves the entire family or community, with each member
contributing to making different dishes. It fosters togetherness and cooperation, as large feasts are often organised for relatives, friends, and neighbours. This aspect strengthens social ties during the festival.
Onam sadhya is a symbol of unity and social harmony. Regardless of caste, religion, or social background, everyone partakes in the feast, often sitting together on the floor, eating from banana leaves. This reinforces the cultural values of equality and inclusiveness in Kerala society. This feast on a leaf has become popular across the country and in many parts of the world.
But it was not always that 20-plus dishes were served at an Onam sadhya. In fact, among the Namboodris, in earlier times, the Onam sadhya was an extension of the daily meal with the addition of a few curries, a stir-fried vegetable, and a dessert. The musts were Kalan, Olan, Erissery and Pulissery. As the outside influence, from neighbourhood states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, grew, more dishes were added to the feast on a leaf. Sambar and avial were perhaps the most significant additions. Today, an Onam sadhya is incomplete without sambar or avial.
But there is more to the Onam sadhya than all this — it reflects a way of life that aligns with nature and fits in with today’s concerns of well-being.
The use of seasonal produce ensured freshness, supported local agriculture, and reduced the need for storing food for extended periods. Today, we do try to use the same ingredients though substitutes have begun creeping in.
The Onam sadhya preparations revolved around what was available at close quarters. At varying intervals, days before or on the sadhya day, ingredients were procured and processed for use immediately or for a later date. The traditional sadhya ticked all the boxes of today’s concerns of going local — minimal wastage and maintaining the balance of nature — some of which continue in the preparation of the modern Onam sadhya.
Traditionally, many of these vegetables, fruits, and spices if not harvested from the family’s garden or orchard, were purchased from a local market. This ensured that the ingredients were fresh and at their peak of flavour, reducing the need for long-distance transportation.
Today, of course, one relies on better preservation and packaging techniques and faster transportation to get the freshest produce possible.
The sadhya dishes were and are still prepared with minimal processing, emphasising the use of whole, unprocessed ingredients. For example, fresh vegetables are used in their natural state, and spices are typically ground or used in their whole form. This minimal processing preserves the flavours and nutritional value of the ingredients.
Sadhya dishes typically involve using all parts of an ingredient. For example, various parts of the coconut tree — from the coconut fruit to coconut water, coconut milk and coconut oil — are used in different dishes. This approach minimises food wastage, aligning with the principles of sustainability. It is an excellent example of the farm-to-leaf concept as it epitomises the use of locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, minimal processing, direct connections to the source and sustainability.
The dishes in a sadhya are served in a specific sequence and position on the banana leaf, which is part of the ritual. Each item has its designated place on the leaf, starting from the upper left corner and moving to the right.
For example, salty items like chips and pickles are placed first, followed by dry vegetable preparations like thoran, and finally, wet gravies like sambar and rasam. Desserts like payasam are served at the end.
This meticulous arrangement of food is not just aesthetic but is rooted in the tradition of how flavours are meant to be experienced. The rice is placed at the centre of the leaf, and each accompanying dish is served around it in a prescribed order, symbolising balance and harmony.
Today, the Onam sadhya has become a grand showcase of Kerala’s rich and diverse culinary tradition. The variety of dishes and the balanced flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent) reflect the region’s love for food and its emphasis on both health and taste.
The Onam sadhya is a cultural expression of abundance, unity, gratitude, and inclusivity — a meal that nourishes not only the body but also the spirit, while honouring tradition, nature, and the community.
(An exclusive by Arun Kumar T R, a chef and the author of 'Feast on a Leaf', recently published by Bloomsbury.)