Malayalis reconnect with roots on Onam day

Coimbatore: The Malayali community in the district celebrated Onam with traditional gaiety and fervour on Thursday.
The district administration had announced a local holiday to enable people celebrate the harvest festival with their family.
Celebrations had started well in advance in educational institutions and business establishments, which were decorated with pookalam (floral carpet).
A large number of people thronged the Sree Ayyappan Temple at Sidhapudur on Thursday morning. Devotees said that they could not enter the temple last year due to the Covid-19 restriction.
Malayali families prepared elaborate sadhya that consists of as many as 26 dishes and invited friends and relatives to taste it.
K Sharath, who had settled at PN Palayam 10 years ago, said he used to visit his native place in Malappuram district of Kerala to celebrate Onam. “This year, I decided to celebrate with my friends in Coimbatore. We gathered at a friend’s place, where women made pookalam. All contributed to the preparation of the sadhya and celebrated the festival together,” he told TOI.
Restaurants and caterers had prepared elaborate sadhya banquets. Some had to announce pre-bookings to regulate crowd on the festival day.
Coimbatore Malayali Samajam organised a celebration at C.M.S Matriculation Higher Secondary School, with collector G S Sameeran as the chief guest.