*burp*
Yesterday happens to be the 22nd Onam I've seen. LOL And LOL ! (Youll get the explanation for list later in the post.)First and foremost, Ill tell one thing. Im pretty much high on Jaggery, so, forgive if I happen to be weird :3
So, back to the subject Onam !
Lemme give yall a small intro about what is known as Onam !
Long , long, long ago , there lived a king called Mahabali. All those who know mallus (Rekha, for sure) will acknowledge that we have a tendency to keep many names for a particular item. Same here. Mahabali, also known as Maveli (Not Machiavelli, Maveli. ), was the just-est of kings, according to the Mallu Mythology. When he ruled over the people, it was said that all knew what peace was. No lies, no false promises , in fact , Shangri-La (I asked MS Word if Utopia meant what I meant. It suggested the meaning, along with this Shangri La. I wouldve gone forward with Utopia, but, who am I to contradict Bill Gates ! ).
So, Shangri-La . The historians have taken pains to tell us that the mallus , under Mavelis rule never used to do any kind of stuff , which , er, present day mallus do ! They even used to weigh stuff properly (in grocery stores, I guess) and sell , It seems (I dont understand what is the point they are trynna state, though.)
Maveli was ruling in an awesome manner, and as usual , the Gods got jealous. I guess they were like - Dude ! whos this guy ? Come on ! The people love him ! It aint fair ! We should do to something !! We should mess up things for him ! So, they send Lord Vishnu (GoT fans Lord = God. Not like Lord Snow or Lord Tywin). Lord Vishnu, takes the form of a Brahmin, known as Vamanan, one among his 9 incarnations.
One fine day, Maveli was conducting a yaga . The yaga, if completed successfully , would make Maveli, an Asura, even glorious and greater than the Devas. According to the rules and regulations, the person who is conducting the yaga, is supposed to fulfill the needs of any person/Brahmin (im not sure) who approaches him. So, Mr. Vamanan approaches Maveli and asks him for 3 feet of land. Maveli (has to ! ) agrees. It is said that Vamanan grew bigger. Even bigger than gaints. Soooo big, that he covered whole of Earth and Heaven and all places known to man, in just two steps. Now, Maveli is in a fix. Vamanan asked for 3 . He needs 3 . So, ever humble, Maveli kneels and tells Vamanan to keep the third step on his own head. He does, and he is sent to Pathalam . (Underworld . I guess. )If you consider religion as a house, the Gods live on the first floor Heavens, the people on the ground floor Earth and , all the unwanted beings in the Basement Pathalam/Underworld.
So. Once a year, Maveli is allowed to come to Earth and and visit his people, the mallus. That day, we celebrate as Onam. We mallus clean our houses and surroundings (I dont. They say, one shouldnt change for people. So, if Maveli wants to visit my room, the way it is, he is welcome. Else, Sayonara. ) We make floral designs (Using rock salt or grated cocnut, of course.) , we have a feast. Mallus do the last item with utmost sincerity Feast. In Malayalam, - Sadya.
Ill talk a little about Sadya, too !
We eat on leaves. Big , green, clean banana leaves.
We have a 5 course meal including deserts, Mallu shtyle.
The only day when all Mallu families sit together and eat.
So, Ill give a tour of a sadya. The sadya I had for lunch, today.
Step 1 Take the big, green, clean banana leaves as told above.
Step 2 : Start with Pappadam (Pappad,Kannad these north and central Indians !! Hopeless ! ), Chips and so on ..
Yesterday happens to be the 22nd Onam I've seen. LOL And LOL ! (Youll get the explanation for list later in the post.)First and foremost, Ill tell one thing. Im pretty much high on Jaggery, so, forgive if I happen to be weird :3
So, back to the subject Onam !
Lemme give yall a small intro about what is known as Onam !
Long , long, long ago , there lived a king called Mahabali. All those who know mallus (Rekha, for sure) will acknowledge that we have a tendency to keep many names for a particular item. Same here. Mahabali, also known as Maveli (Not Machiavelli, Maveli. ), was the just-est of kings, according to the Mallu Mythology. When he ruled over the people, it was said that all knew what peace was. No lies, no false promises , in fact , Shangri-La (I asked MS Word if Utopia meant what I meant. It suggested the meaning, along with this Shangri La. I wouldve gone forward with Utopia, but, who am I to contradict Bill Gates ! ).
So, Shangri-La . The historians have taken pains to tell us that the mallus , under Mavelis rule never used to do any kind of stuff , which , er, present day mallus do ! They even used to weigh stuff properly (in grocery stores, I guess) and sell , It seems (I dont understand what is the point they are trynna state, though.)
Maveli was ruling in an awesome manner, and as usual , the Gods got jealous. I guess they were like - Dude ! whos this guy ? Come on ! The people love him ! It aint fair ! We should do to something !! We should mess up things for him ! So, they send Lord Vishnu (GoT fans Lord = God. Not like Lord Snow or Lord Tywin). Lord Vishnu, takes the form of a Brahmin, known as Vamanan, one among his 9 incarnations.
One fine day, Maveli was conducting a yaga . The yaga, if completed successfully , would make Maveli, an Asura, even glorious and greater than the Devas. According to the rules and regulations, the person who is conducting the yaga, is supposed to fulfill the needs of any person/Brahmin (im not sure) who approaches him. So, Mr. Vamanan approaches Maveli and asks him for 3 feet of land. Maveli (has to ! ) agrees. It is said that Vamanan grew bigger. Even bigger than gaints. Soooo big, that he covered whole of Earth and Heaven and all places known to man, in just two steps. Now, Maveli is in a fix. Vamanan asked for 3 . He needs 3 . So, ever humble, Maveli kneels and tells Vamanan to keep the third step on his own head. He does, and he is sent to Pathalam . (Underworld . I guess. )If you consider religion as a house, the Gods live on the first floor Heavens, the people on the ground floor Earth and , all the unwanted beings in the Basement Pathalam/Underworld.
So. Once a year, Maveli is allowed to come to Earth and and visit his people, the mallus. That day, we celebrate as Onam. We mallus clean our houses and surroundings (I dont. They say, one shouldnt change for people. So, if Maveli wants to visit my room, the way it is, he is welcome. Else, Sayonara. ) We make floral designs (Using rock salt or grated cocnut, of course.) , we have a feast. Mallus do the last item with utmost sincerity Feast. In Malayalam, - Sadya.
Ill talk a little about Sadya, too !
We eat on leaves. Big , green, clean banana leaves.
We have a 5 course meal including deserts, Mallu shtyle.
The only day when all Mallu families sit together and eat.
So, Ill give a tour of a sadya. The sadya I had for lunch, today.
Step 1 Take the big, green, clean banana leaves as told above.
Step 2 : Start with Pappadam (Pappad,Kannad these north and central Indians !! Hopeless ! ), Chips and so on ..
Step 3 : Keep on adding dishes .. Pickles to the left most corner , veggies towards right.
Step 4 : Keep on adding ....
Step 5 : Keep on adding (I'm getting tired of this .-_-)
Step 6 :As the Last step in serving, add Rice , topped with Dal curry, a little ghee.
Step 7 : Crush some pappadam,add to the rice, start eating your way through the leaf. (Eat the contents. Not the leaf.)
Step 8 : As desert , eat these 3 beauties. Anyone, I say, anyone, will go high on jaggery.
Step 9 : Finish off with a *burp* (This was the burp with which I started.: D)
Ciao . Valar Morghulis , and may the Force be with you.
PS : This happens to be the feast which I had for lunch, yesterday.
PPS : We had a total of 22 dishes, 3 payasams ,ie, sweets . And we are supposed to lick our leaves , clean. (Not literally lick. Well, feel free if you would
like to.
PPPS : I have not meant to disrespect any feelings, be it cultural or religious. Jus , have some fun , people !! YOLO !!!.
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