Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 30 : When Onam arrives, Kerala awakens not only in a riot of flowers and festivities but also in the irresistible aroma of the Onam Sadhya -- the grand vegetarian banquet spread on a glossy green plantain leaf.

More than a meal, it is a sensory experience that binds heritage, flavour, and fellowship into one unforgettable celebration.

The festival itself is rooted in legend. Onam honours the benevolent King Mahabali, whose golden reign symbolised prosperity and equality.

According to myth, the gods, threatened by his growing power, sought Lord Vishnu's help. Taking the Vamana avatar, Vishnu sent Mahabali to the netherworld, but granted him the boon of returning once every year to visit his people. Onam marks that annual homecoming.

Among its many rituals, nothing embodies the spirit of the festival quite like the Sadhya.

Traditionally served on Uthradam, Thiruvonam, and Avittam, this elaborate feast features around 26 dishes, sometimes ranging from 24 to 28, depending on region and custom. Barring a few northern districts, the Sadhya is a strictly vegetarian affair.

The feast unfolds in a rhythm perfected over generations. The leaf arrives first, its sheen adding freshness to what follows. The opening ensemble includes crisp banana chips, sweet jaggery-coated sharkkara varatti, the sharp tang of inji curry, pickles, and golden pappadams.

Then comes the centerpiece: steaming mounds of Kerala's par-boiled rice, ready to welcome a stream of curries.

Each dish tells its own story: creamy avial with a rainbow of vegetables, fiery sambar brimming with spices, sour-mango pullissery enriched with yogurt, and olan, where ash gourd and black-eyed beans float in delicate coconut milk.

A crunchy thoran brings texture, while a silky pachadi, often made with beetroot or pineapple, cools the tongue.

Together, they form a balanced harmony of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy stuff.

Just as the appetite begins to slow, the finale arrives: payasam, Kerala's cherished dessert.

Whether it is the jaggery-rich ada pradhaman or the milk-based palada payasam, the sweet note concludes the meal with indulgence, often served in more than one variety.

Today, the Sadhya's fame extends far beyond Kerala, though many non-Keralites still struggle with eating payasam by hand.

With time, preparation too has changed; few households cook the entire feast, as restaurants and caterers now deliver packed Sadhyas priced anywhere between Rs 250 and Rs 2,500.

Yet, whether savoured at home or ordered from outside, the Onam Sadhya remains Kerala's most cherished tradition, a feast not just for the body, but for memory, culture, and the spirit of Mahabali's golden age.

/IANS