Happy Onam !!!

So, the Onam is here. Sorry all of you out there, I could not post a line all these days. The Onam rush was already in the air. A newspaper office becomes a mad house (as if its not already...) during such times. Too much advertisement volume, unexpected changes in page planning, and, too many programme all happening at the same time which can not be carried anywhere due to the ad pressure ! All these, coupled with some personal hectic schedule, is enough to spend anyone spinning.

But, finally, the Onam is here. Here, and gone.

Hope all you had a beautiful Onam, wherever you are on the face of this globe. Hope you could capture that faraway magic from childhood days, when Onam spelt just magic, when we had no care, when freedom from school was the greatest freedom on earth and exam day became the doomsday.

I suspect that once we stop feeling the need to fear exams, the charm of Onam half disappears. Onam was the reward.

I still remember the rueful Onam days of a particular year when the examinations were held after Onam ! With broken heart which was only half-way into the studies, I was clutching a notebook and prancing about the kitchen and backyard !

So, here's our Onasadya, from my parents' place. Both of us reached home by Uthradam evening (night, to be exact). Rajan has taken more photos, but I can find only this one on the computer. So, here's for the time being.

I'm sorry, the banana leaf is not a perfect one. A little bit torn, not too tender, but it is a banana leaf from our own backyard !

The items on the leaf, from bottom left - injithayir, puliyinchi, vadukappuli narangakkari (lemon pickle), pappadam, varuthupperi, sarakkara upperi and pazhamnurukku (hidden beneath the pappadam, since that is the way to serve), kalan, aviyal, olan, erisseri, rice with sambar and a dollop of ghee. The payasam-s are waiting in the side wings.

More on these curries and pickles later.

Now, a belated Happy Onam to all !