Hundred ways to celebrate!

KOCHI:  Even though Covid has cast a cloud of gloom over Onam festivities this year, Malayalis are finding innovative ways to welcome their favourite holiday of the year. Here are some inspiring tales from around town

Masks with a traditional twist
Unlike past years, masks have become an inevitable part of our lives now, urging many to get creative. “Masks take up 75 percent of our faces, and it’s an essential accessory now. The mask you wear is the focal point of your face,” quips Jeslin Vinod, a boutique owner who has come up with traditional mask design. “People are ordering masks that gel with the spirit of the season. So, we are making masks with traditional Kerala saree material and beautiful golden borders,” she adds.

According to Dona Maria Kurien, another city-based entrepreneur, apart from traditional Kerala saree masks, cotton masks made in single bold colours like blue, maroon, green and black with golden or silver borders are selling like hotcakes too. “I am selling around 20 to 30 pieces every day,” she said. She is also making masks with traditional Onam motifs.

Twinning and winning
Another trend this season is twinning. “It has been a wedding tradition for family members to wear matching dresses. Now, masks have caught up on this too. Women in the family are wearing masks that go with traditional motifs while men have masks with a border but of the same type,” said Jeslin.

Heaven in a hamper
Two women entrepreneurs based in Kochi have come up with a gift hamper that presents traditional tastes of Onam in a modern way. Mariya Mohan Manjooran and Annu George have been making and selling gift hampers for the past one year. “During Onam, when we thought of making gift hampers, we wanted to do something different,” said Annu. Annu a baker, had the idea to amalgamate the flavours of Onam in a modern way.

“This gave birth to payasam cupcakes, vilayicha ethakka tart and sharkara varatti dessert jar,” she said. According to her, biting into the payasam cupcake is like eating semolina payasam. “The cardamom in the cake and the flavours in the frosting all combine to give the flavour of traditional payasam. In the tart, the ethakka has been cooked like jackfruit vilayichathu,” she adds. As for the sharkara varatti dessert jar, instead of the usual sharkara varatti made from banana, the flavours have been infused in a creamy dessert, she added.

Pet the flower carpet
The fear of pandemic is keeping people away from flower markets. This is where readymade pookkalams come in. Vaidehi Powani and her mother Seema Powani, who are members of the Gujarati community, are making handmade thalis or pookalam platter for Onam. “This is not her first time. But this year, due to the Covid fear, the number of orders have gone up,” said Vaidehi.