Onam is a very popular festival of Kerala and its that time of the month when the the festivals of colours is approaching. This is a 10-day long festival in which people make rangolis, wear new and colourful clothes and garners an appetite for the traditional Sadhya feasting.
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But this time Kerala is not celebrating Onam as there are heavy floods that have made the people’s life come to a standstill and the government, this year, has decided not to celebrate Onam and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
But there is something we all can do on our behalf, so this time let us celebrate Onam in our way. If you want to celebrate Onam do it by helping someone, the best way this time to celebrate Onam is to go to a flood-relief camp and help people share their joy. You can also help them by taking some home-cooked food, sweets and toys with you for the people there.
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You can also take some new clothes for them, so that they can feel like it’s Onam. If the heart is true and clear you can achieve whatever you want and can help millions of people bring smile on their face.
Food
The grand feast they eat during Onam is Papadams, sweet and sour pickles, tangy Pachadis, Dal preparations, spicy curries and of course, Payasams and Ada Pradhaman for dessert. You can cook these food for them, or just try to make it and take it to the relief camp to share the joy of good food with them.
Clothes
You can buy some new clothes for them or you can stitch some clothes for the people there who are living with low sanitation facilities and of course with less of cleanliness. People there are even saying that there are only four toilets for 800 people in a camp. With such facilities you can give them new clothes for the feel of Onam. The most loved part after you get ready wearing the saree is the ‘gajra’, the gajra is made up of fresh flowers (you can take it along, for that extra mile.)
Worship
During the morning of the first day of Onam, known as Atham, people seek out a temple. They can’t go to a temple in this condition where almost the full state is submerged in water. but what you can do on your part is to take the idol of the god they worship and take some puja things- like a small bell, you can make the delicacies or the sweets they offer to the god after the prayer.
Other things
For children, you can take toys or books that they can read there because there is nothing to do all day for entertainment. You can take books and magazines for the the ladies and the men also. You can take some board games for the children also. You can also take general medicines for the needy.
How else can you celebrate the festival of colors and joy, like? The best way to do it is see a smile on someone’s face because of you.
Happy Onam!