The week after Onam

  

Every year for Onam, my mother religiously packs Inji pulli and Unni appam for my Onam sadya.  Unni appam was delivered 2 days before and it was so delicious that there was hardly any left for the sadya.  I have never made an attempt to make inji pulli before but was tempted to make it this time when i came across the recipe on kothiyavunu.   I tried it and it turned out to be just like the ones i had all these years. Thanks Sangeetha of Kothiyavunu

Like the past one year, this year too we had a potluck Onam sadhya.   A sadhya is complete only if we have guests to enjoy the food.  It is a pleasure to have guests at home on Onam.  We had invited some families for Onam and had a good time.

The next day, I was all set to go to office, after making lunch and breakfast.  We, in office make it a routine affair during Onam to wear set-mundu and have a grand sadya during lunch.  So, draping my brand new set sari i was all set to go when it started raining cats and dogs accompanied with some thunder.  I wanted to yell out to the Rain Gods - Hello, its September, you are supposed to come down like a drizzle, or a occasional spurt.  But they were in  no mood to listen it out this time for they were simbly enjoying my discomfiture and in the end they had a last laugh and my plans were all rained out.  I stayed put at home. Because i just could not carry myself and my load of bags into the rush hour Mumbai local. My friends who had made it to the office were highly disappointed and had to make do with the canteen lunch. All my Onam  delicacies packed in boxes ultimately travelled to my maid's kitchen who had a onam sadya again but, with her friends & neighbours. So, I did bring a smile to many unknown faces this Onam.

Though, Kerala celebrates Onam for a week, for  most of the Malayalees in Mumbai its a grand affair of one day and an annual samajam programme.  Yes, but the inji pulli and the achar, the little participants of the Onam sadya & the new releases on the Malayalm channels are the reminders of festive mood. Waiting for the next festival coz I like the feel in the air, the happiness around and the laughter of family and friends.  Did somebody say Navratri is around the corner....