Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Onam’s Banana Leaf Finds a Place Across Delhi
Onam is a festival celebrated with a special meal called sadhya.
The meal is served on a banana leaf.
It can include many vegetables, curries, pickles and rice.
The writer first experienced it in Kerala in 2014.
Now, people in Delhi can also find sadhya in restaurants and private kitchens.
Malayali families celebrate Onam, but other families enjoy the food too.
Some young diners learn about it through Instagram.
Many people book ahead or ask friends where to eat it.
A 2014 Onam meal in Kerala introduced the writer to the festival’s traditional sadhya.
The meal included avial, olan, thoran, pachadi, pickles, curries and rice served on a banana leaf.
During Onam, Delhi restaurants prepare for busy sittings and home chefs open their kitchens.
Malayalis remain central to the celebrations, joined by north Indian families and other diners.
Young people and food enthusiasts increasingly discover sadhya through Instagram and personal recommendations.
- Who
- Malayalis, north Indian families, young diners and food enthusiasts are among those enjoying Onam sadhya in Delhi.
- What
- Delhi is embracing Onam celebrations and the traditional banana-leaf sadhya meal.
- When
- During Onam; the writer’s first experience described in the article took place in 2014.
- Where
- Across Delhi, with the writer’s earlier meal experience taking place in Kerala.
- Why
- People are celebrating Onam and discovering or enjoying sadhya through restaurants, home chefs, social media and personal recommendations.
- Festival
- Onam
- Signature meal
- Sadhya
- Serving style
- Food is served on a banana leaf.
- Delhi offerings
- Restaurants prepare for packed sittings, while home chefs open their kitchens.
- Typical dishes mentioned
- Avial, olan, thoran, pachadi, pickles, curries and rice.
- First experience described
- The writer encountered sadhya in Kerala during Onam in 2014.
- Discovery channels
- Instagram, WhatsApp groups and recommendations from friends.