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Journalism of Courage
Onam is celebrated with exuberance and zeal not just in Kerala, but by the Malayali community everywhere around the world. The festivities are incomplete without donning the signature kasavu or enjoying a traditional feast or Onam ‘sadhya’. However, one brand’s modern take on the festival is drawing flak online. Reason: a salwar kameez collection and dosa and idli on the platter!
The 10-day annual event, which celebrates the return of King Mahabali, who had promised to visit Kerala once a year, is essentially a harvest festival that holds a great cultural significance. Hence when a clothing brand decided to give a modern twist to the biggest festival moving away from its true essence, it left many irked.
Sharing some promotional pictures of its new products from the ‘Onam Collection’, Cottons Jaipur showed women dressed in white salwar suit, enjoying a meal served on a banana leaf. The image showed dosa and idli on the plate, along with three steel bowls with sambhar and chutney, with a little rice on the side.
With people arguing that just a white-and-gold combination doesn’t make it fit for Onam, people tagged the brand to take down the post. Many also wondered since when dosa and idli were part of ‘sadhya’ meal.
Check out what goes into a Onam Sadhya and how to serve one here.
Although the image was removed from the brand’s Instagram page after they drew flak on the platform, the picture is still there on its website and Facebook page.
The screenshot of the post started a serious conversation online, with many asking how difficult is it to do a proper research before doing such elaborate photoshoots. Some were even unhappy that that the festive collection didn’t feature a kasavu. While most criticised them for their ignorance, others took on the brand with sarcasm.
However, some defended the brand and argued that not every meal eaten on a banana leaf is a ‘sadhya’ just because the collection was dedicated to the festival.
https://twitter.com/jananee_17/status/1425726579280269319
https://twitter.com/mysadsadmelody/status/1425741375308386313
https://twitter.com/towerparkkannii/status/1425737146149728260
https://twitter.com/broccolibaaabe/status/1425770648828203010
It is on the 10th day of festivities or ‘Thiruvonam’ that the lavish Onam ‘sadhya’ is cooked in Kerala households. Spread on plantain leaves, the meal includes nine courses, but may go up to over two dozen dishes. The feast typically comprises of chips (especially banana chips), Sharkaraveratti (fried pieces of banana coated with jaggery), pappadam, various vegetable and soups such as injipuli (also called puli inji), thoran, mezhukkupuratti, kaalan, olan, avial, sambhar, dal served along with a small quantity of ghee, erisheri, molosyam, rasam, puliseri (also referred to as velutha curry), kichadi (not to be confused with khichdi) and pachadi (its sweet variant), moru (buttermilk or curd mixed with water), pickles both sweet and sour, coconut chutney and not to forget the varieties of payasams.
