Blog: SHEMROCK Group of Schools

Onam

Story

Onam is one of the harvest festivals celebrated in the southern part of India. The festival is associated with the epic of the great demon king, Mahabali, who ruled the state of Kerala a long time back. The wise and generous ruler was dearly loved and admired by his people. Soon, his popularity began to spread all across the Earth and he further extended his rule to the heavens. However, his growing power was not appreciated by the Gods and they began to fear that he might over power them. So, they approached Lord Vishnu seeking his help to curb the powers of the king. Subsequently, Lord Vishnu disguised as a poor Brahmin boy named Vamana and approached king Mahabali for alms. Being a generous king, Mahabali granted him a wish. The boy asked for a piece of land that could be covered by his three steps. The king unaware of Vamana’s capability, agreed to his wish.

Instantly, disguised as Vamana, Lord Vishnu grew in size and increased until he became as big as the universe. Taking his first step, he covered whole of the Earth and with the next step he covered the whole sky. Soon, Mahabali realized that Vamana’s third step would destroy the Earth, so he bowed before Vamana & offered his head before him to place his third step. This third & final step pushed king Mahabali to the nether world called ‘Patala’. However, since the king was beloved of his people & was attached to his kingdom, before placing the final step, Lord Vishnu bestowed him with a blessing of returning to his country once a year from the exile. So, Onam is the festival celebrated to honour the homecoming of king Mahabali.

Traditional celebrations

Onam is celebrated to acknowledge the sacrifice of the Asura (demon) King Mahabali. Onam is a 10-day long carnival which is celebrated with great pomp & splendor Kerela. Ten days of feasting, songs, traditional clap dance (Kaikottikkali), boat races etc. are an integral part of this festival. The celebrations begin from the first day, ‘Atham’ wherein people make floral decorations called Pookalam at the entrance of their homes. More and more flowers are added to the Pookalam with each passing day. Two clay made square pyramids representing Vishnu and Mahabali, are also erected in the courtyards and worshipped by offering fruits and flowers. People recite special prayers and hymns in the local temples. Besides this, a grand cultural procession exhibiting folk dances, art presentations, music, decorated elephants etc. is carried out at Thripunnithura in Kochi. Pulikali performers paint themselves as tigers and perform street plays to entertain people and story of the legendary king is enacted by Kathakali dancers. A snake boat race called ‘Vallamkali’ and a number of sports events like Kutukutu, Kayyankali etc. are also organized in different parts of the state.

Thiruvonam is the most happening and the most important day of Onam. On Thiruvonam, the celebrations commence early in the morning. People take early bath, wear new clothes and perform prayers to seek blessings from the divine lord. A sumptuous and an enormous meal called Thiruvona-Sadhya which includes around 11 to 13 traditional dishes, is also prepared.

How to celebrate Onam in school?

Celebrating Onam in school is a great way to spread a message of peace and harmony among children. Here are some tips that will help you to celebrate the festival of Onam in your school.

• Arrange a fancy dress competition and ask the students to dress up in traditional attires as king Mahabali, Lord Vishnu etc.
• Arrange a Pookalam competition wherein students will make flower rangoli.
• Help the students to prepare a small skit enacting the story of the legendary king Mahabali.
• Ask the students to perform a special puja for the deity.
• Organize games like Talappanthukali (played with ball) and Ambeyyal (Archery).

How to celebrate Onam at home?

The festival of Onam is a great time to unite with all your near and dear ones. Here are some tips on how you can celebrate Onam at home.

• Organize a get together and invite close friends & relatives over to your place.
• Involve your family members in decorating the house entrance by creating beautiful floral arrangement (Pookalam) on the floor.
• Prepare the traditional feast ‘Onasadhya’ consisting of 11 to 13 dishes and serve it to your guests on banana leaves to give it a more traditional touch.
• Prepare your children to give dance performances on popular Onam songs.
• Exchange gifts with your loved ones.

Recipes

Thiruvona-sadhya, a grand feast, is the most important part of Onam celebrations. The people of the state prepare the most sumptuous dishes which are served on banana leaves. Some of the popular onam recipes are Avial, Banana erucherry, tomato pachadi, Chana dal payasam etc.

How to make Avail

Ingredients:

½ cup Coconut (Grated)
4 Green chilies
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 cup raw Yam (Thinly sliced into pieces)
1 cup Bitter gourd (Sliced into lengthy pieces)
¼ cup Carrot (Sliced into lengthy pieces)
½ cup Long runner-beans (Sliced into lengthy pieces)
2 Drumstick (Cut into pieces)
Curry leaves (For garnish)
3 tablespoon Coconut oil
1 Raw banana (Sliced into pieces)
Pieces of Raw mango
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
Salt (To taste)

Procedure:

Prepare a paste of coconut along with green chilies and cumin seeds. Alongside heat coconut oil in a thick bottom vessel and add vegetables. Cook it on a low flame. When it is done, mix it well with turmeric powder and salt. Now, add slices of banana and mango in the cooked vegetables and cover it with the lid. When steam starts to come out, add the coconut paste and stir well. Finally, remove it from the flame and garnish with curry leaves.

How to make Tomato Pachadi

Ingredients:

6 – 7 Tomatoes (Cut into small pieces)
½ cup Tamarind pulp
1 Coconut
¾ teaspoon Mustard seeds
3 Green chilies
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder

Procedure:

Grind coconut with green chilies and mustard seeds into a thick paste and keep it aside. Boil the tomato pieces in tamarind pulp with water, salt and turmeric powder. When the tomatoes are cooked add the coconut paste and mix well. Allow it boil for some time. Take it off the flame and garnish with mustards seeds and serve hot.

Onam wishes

• May the festival of ONAM bring u all the happiness and love you have ever wished for! Happy Onam!
• May God fill your heart with joy & happiness spreading the colour and lights of Onam in your life. Have a joyous & fun-filled Onam.
• May god bless you with all the happiness, health & prosperity on this festive occasion of Onam.
• May Lord Vishnu and king Mahabali bestow their blessings on you on the harvest festival of Onam.
• May the festival of Onam and sparkle of brilliance and colour to your life. Happy Onam.

GUJIA Recipes:

Ingredients :

500 gms maida (flour)
1kg khoya
3tbsps kismis (raisins)
200 gms almonds (cut into thin strips)
6 tbsps cooking oil. (keep some more aside for deep frying)
200 ml water.
500 gms sugar.

Method:
Mix six tablespoons of oil with maida.
Using fingers mix well so that the mixture takes the form of breadcrumbs and binds to a certain extent.
Now add some water and knead lightly.
Keep adding water as required and knead into soft dough.
Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Put the khoya in a deep-frying pan and fry to a light brown colour.
Add sugar into the khoya and mix well.
Add almonds and kismis.
Fry for a few minutes and remove from the fire.
Let it cool.

Roll out the kneaded dough into a chapati, thicker and smaller than a normal chapati.
Fill half the chapati with the khoya mixture, fold the chapati and seal the round, twisting the edges inwards.
Take care that the filling does not ooze out.

Deep fry these gujjias, a few at a time, till they are a deep golden brown.
Fry on a slow fire. When done, take them out with a sieve type ladle, draining the oil completely. Let them drain further on a spread out newspaper, till all the grease is soaked up. Store in an airtight glass jar.

visit for more Holi Recipes

Recipe of Meetha Chawal for Basant Panchami Festival

Ingredients

Basmati rice    500 gm

Almonds         20 pieces

Pista                20 gm

Kaju                20 gm

Kismis             20 gm

Khoya             250 gm

Lavang           10 pieces

Elaichi             10 pieces

Saffron            ¼ teaspoon

Kewra             400 gm

Sugar               100 gm

Ghee                100 gm

Water              7 glasses

Method

Soak the rice, badam and kaju. Put the saffron in the 7 glasses of water and boil. Put the soaked rice in the boiling water and also some lavang and elaichi pieces. When the rice is done sieve it to drain excess water.

In a heavy bottomed pan put some ghee and add some more elaichi and lavang and fry for 2 minutes. In a pressure cooker put half of the cooked rice and then half of the sugar and then the remaining rice.

Cook over a low flame. Add the remaining ghee to the rice, occasionally stirring it. Cook for 25 minutes.

Now add all the dry fruits and the mixture should be well steamed. Add 3 teaspoons of kewra and cover the vessel.

After the water has dried up add the khoya and cook for 15 minutes and take the vessel off the fire and put a silver foil over it. Totally it would take around 45 minutes to 1 hour for this preparation.

LOHRI RECIPES

Dry Fruit Chikki

Ingredients:

1. Badam 1 cup (chopped)
2. pista 1 cup (chopped)
3. cashew 1 cup (chopped)
4. jaggery ¼ cup (grated)
5. kesar-few soaked in milk
6. ghee 2 big spoons.

Method:

Grate jaggery.

Heat 2 big spoons of ghee in a kadai.

Put grated jaggery, mix well and melt nicely to a fine paste.

To this add kesar, badam, pista and cashew nuts & mix well until the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai.

Spread little ghee in a tray and pour the dry fruit mixture and spread evenly, cool it and cut it into pieces

Pinni

Ingredients:

1. 250 gms. wheatflour
2. 250 gms. ghee
3. 250 gms. sugar ground
4. 3-4 tbsp. milk
5. 1 tsp. cardamom powder

Method:

Melt ghee in a heavy pan.

Add, flour and cook on med/low flame.

Stir continuously, till med. brown.

When aroma exudes, and properly browned, take of fire.

Spread in a large plate.

Cool till a shade above room temperature.

Sprinkle cardamom powder and sugar.

Mix well. Sprinkle milk.

Mix again and form tight fist shaped pinnies.

This is done by taking some mixture and pressing in the fist.

Kurmura Ladoo

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 lb Puffed rice (murmura, churmura)
2. 1/2 lb Jaggery
3. 1/2 cup Roasted peanuts
4. 1/2 cup Dry coconut flakes
5. a few Cardamoms

Method:

Take a large cooking pan add jaggery and enough water till it gets immersed and boil till it forms to thick consistency.

To ensure that this syrup had reached the correct consistency, add a few drops into a bowl containing water and it shall solidify immediately.

Add puffed rice, roasted peanuts, dry coconut flakes and cardamom powder and stir in all the ingredients. Let it cool for a couple of minutes.

Grease your palm with oil or ghee and roll into balls.

Makki Ki Roti

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Corn Flour (Makki ka atta)
2. Warm Water required for preparing the dough.

How to make Makki Ki Roti:

Knead the corn flour with warm water in a in a shallow tray.

Now put a square of polythene paper on the kitchen platform.

Put a balTake a part of the kneaded dough on the paper and cover with another piece of polythene.

Then press with the ball of your palm till it turns to be the size of a roti.

Remove the polythene cover and transfer the roti to a hot skillet.

Cook on low heat, turning till both sides are roasted.

Apply some ghe

Sarson Ka Sag

Sarson Ka Sag is a very popular recipe. Learn how to prepare Sarson Ka Saag by following this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg Mustard Green (sarson finely chopped)
2. 1/4 kg Spinach Finely chopped
3. 1 cup Water
4. 2 Red chilies
5. 4 Garlic cloves (minced)
6. 2 cm piece Ginger (minced)
7. 2 tbsp Gram flour
8. 1 tbsp Butter
9. 2 Green chilies (minced)
10. Ghee
11. Salt to taste

How to make Sarson Ka Sag

Boil sarson and spinach in 1 cup of water until cooked.

Drain excess water and mash the vegetables. Keep aside.

Heat about 4 tbsp of ghee in a pan.

Add green chillies, garlic, ginger and broken red chillies.

Saute the spices till brown.

Now add the mashed vegetables and salt.

Make paste of the gram flour with a little water.

Add it to the above mixture.

Cook for about half an hour.

Top with 1 tbsp of butter.

Serve with makkai ki roti.

Sakkarai Pongal Recipe

“Sakkarai Pongal” is a popular dish made for TamilNadu’s most popular festival “PONGAL” (celebrated as Mahar Shankranthi in the North India).Its main ingredient is jaggery rich in Iron and therefore is a healthy but heavy food.It exists from the 17th century as PONGAL is a farmer’s festival.

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice
1/2 cup green gram dhal
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups water
3 cups jaggery powdered (sugar)
4 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp cashewnuts
2 tbsp raisins
5 cardamoms powdered
2 cloves powdered
1 small piece nutmeg grated or powdered
A pinch of saffron

How to make Sakkarai Pongal

1. Roast dry the green gram dhal for a couple of minutes.
2. Cook the rice and green gram dhal with 2 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup milk in the microwave and set aside.
3. Dissolve the jaggery in 3/4 cup water and cook on a low heat till the jaggery melts.
4. Strain the jaggery to remove the dirt.
5. Put the syrup once more on the heat and stir till it becomes slightly sticky.
6. Add the cooked rice and dhal.
7. Heat the 4 tbsp ghee.
8. Fry the cashewnuts and raisins and add to the pongal.
9. Add the powdered cardamoms,cloves nutmeg and saffron.
10. Mix well.
11. Serve hot.

This sweet recipe is very common Sweet Pongal .