This story is from September 12, 2019

Onam brings Kerala to Lucknow

With the advent of the harvest period in Kerala, people of the Malayali community residing in the city brought Kerala alive in their homes and greeted each other with smiling faces on Wednesday morning on the occasion of Onam.
Onam brings Kerala to Lucknow
The harvest festival was welcomed with floral decoration and traditional attire by the Malayali community in Lucknow
LUCKNOW: With the advent of the harvest period in Kerala, people of the Malayali community residing in the city brought Kerala alive in their homes and greeted each other with smiling faces on Wednesday morning on the occasion of Onam.
While women were dressed in the traditional attire of white and gold 'kasavu' saris, men wore the 'mundu' and welcomed the festival by decorating their houses with beautiful pookalam (flower rangoli) in their courtyards, onavillu (music), followed by the authentic 27-course 'onasadya' meal served on banana leaves.
Preparations for all festivities had begun in advance in many homes.
Malayali cultural associations in the city have been active already, holding various cultural programmes and traditional feasts.
"The attempt was not just to bring together members of our community, but also to showcase the culture of our state to Lucknow," said Suresh VK, the member of the 60-year-old Kerala Samajam.
"Onam has changed over the years but there is something unchanged about it-it celebrates the value of togetherness, which is essential to our culture," said Sindhu Nair (37), a resident of LDA Colony.
The festival is celebrated to welcome the return of Mahabali, a revered king in the mystic legends, popular in God's own country, Kerala. Onam is a joyous annual reminiscence of the golden rule of King Mahabali. The festival has been a part of Malayali culture for centuries.
"Without Onam, we would feel a sense of rootlessness. We Malayalis are fortunate to have a festival that binds us together, irrespective of caste and religion," added Anil Kumar of Kerala Samajam.
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