For around 250 homemakers at Kottuli, Onam is hardly a family affair. Every year, their celebrations begin at 12 noon by readying at least three or four packets of ‘Onasadya’ for rough sleepers on the street. This act of compassion that they began voluntarily in 1997 with the support of a local club completes 20 years of service on Monday.
“Each of us prepares at least three or four packets of ‘Sadya’ to cover the maximum number of people in Kozhikode city,” says Shakkeela Gireesh who has been part of the initiative since 1997. Yuvadhara, a local club, is coordinating the food packet collection and distribution, she adds.
Saranya Prashobh, another homemaker from Kottuly, says she has been part of the initiative for the past 10 years. “As a group, we have minimal expense to spare for a food packet, and the families are free to decide on the number of packets that they want to provide,” she adds.
Ms. Prashobh says the biggest satisfaction for a family on the Thiruvonam day is that they serve the first meal on an auspicious occasion to three or four unknown people on the street. “We never prepare a separate meal for them, and what we share is the food that we prepare for our own family members,” she adds.
K.V. Pramod, an office-bearer of the Yuvadhara Club, says all those who receive the food packets on the street are not alm seekers. “We have come across persons who refuse alms, but tearfully accept our ‘Onasadya’, remembering their good old days with their family members,” he recalls.