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Onam 2026: A Guide to 15+ Onasadya Dishes
Onam is a festival celebrated in Kerala.
People believe that the kind King Mahabali comes back to visit during the festival.
On the tenth day, called Thiruonam, families prepare a large vegetarian lunch.
This meal is called an Onasadya or sadhya.
It is served on a banana leaf and eaten with the hands.
The leaf may contain rice, vegetables, chips, pickles, curries and pappadam.
The meal ends with a sweet dessert called payasam.
People in Mumbai can also visit Malayalee restaurants to enjoy this feast.
Onam is Kerala’s 10-day harvest festival celebrating the homecoming of King Mahabali.
On Thiruonam, the festival’s tenth day, families traditionally serve Onasadya for lunch.
The vegetarian feast is served on a banana leaf and typically includes at least 15–20 dishes.
Common dishes include rice, sambar, avial, olan, thoran, erissery, kaalan, pachadi, pickles and pappadam.
Payasam varieties such as ada pradhaman, palada and semiya payasam usually finish the meal.
- Who
- Malayalees celebrate Onam and welcome the legendary King Mahabali, also known as King Bali.
- What
- They prepare an Onasadya, an elaborate vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf.
- Where
- Onasadya is traditionally served in homes and Malayalee restaurants, including restaurants in Mumbai.
- When
- The feast is especially associated with Thiruonam, the tenth and final day of the 10-day festival.
- Why
- Onam celebrates Kerala’s harvest festival and the homecoming of the benevolent King Mahabali.
Key facts
- Festival
- Onam, Kerala’s harvest festival
- Festival length
- 10 days
- Main feast
- Onasadya, a vegetarian lunch
- Serving method
- Served on a banana leaf
- Typical spread
- At least 15–20 dishes
- Staple
- Boiled matha, or red parboiled, rice
- Dessert
- Payasam, including ada pradhaman, palada and semiya payasam
Sources
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