Food and Drink

More Than Just Food: All About Sadhya, The Famed Feast Of Onam

During Onam, Kerala transforms into a canvas of colour, culture, & culinary delight. At the heart of this annual celebration lies the sadhya, a grand feast that epitomises the spirit of the harvest festival and the region's rich gastronomic heritage

A typical sadhya spread Photo: Shutterstock
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An essential element of Onam celebrations, the sadhya holds a central position. This grand feast forms the core of the festivities, observed on the tenth day of the harvest festival. This elaborate vegetarian banquet showcases an array of multiple dishes, each intricately crafted and presented on a banana leaf. Beyond merely pleasing the palate, this feast serves as a unifying force, bringing communities together through a shared culinary endeavour that commences well ahead of time.

"I love the serene elegance of a sadhya. The sequential serving of different courses including all six rasas adds to the enjoyment of the festive community meal," said Pushpesh Pant, academic, food critic and historian.