Onam sadya being replaced by chicken delicacies
It appears that Malayalees have decided to let go the flavour and richness of the conventional onam sadya this year if the record sales of Chicken during Onam season is any indication! This year the trend has been to include non vegetarian dishes, which not only has snuffed out the carnival flavour and richness of this festival but also has made onam sadya into an ordinary non vegetarian meal on a plantain leaf, which is nothing short of a mockery of our culture!
Gone are the days when elaborate onasadya used to be made at home, which will include many exceptional onam specialities like banana chips, pickles of various varieties, payasam and other sweetmeats apart from a long list of mouth watering curries and side dishes. From ready made Onam kits to handy take away Onam specials and Onam luncheon offers in hotels, there is a lot of options for Malayalees these days, however, it is astonishing that Malayalees preferred to stick to meat dishes for Onam.
The onam sales of chicken in many KEPCO ( Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation) stalls all over the State hit an all time high during Onam. In the capital city alone around 45 tonnes of chicken was sold in just 4 days from Uthradom to Chatayam days, creating an all time high record. The shockingly high chicken sales in Trivandrum city alone raked in a total turnover of a whopping Rs.35 lakhs, in these four days, which clearly points to the changing cultural pattern and food habits of Kerala society.
The eating habits of Malayalees have indeed undergone a sea change in the last few years and many people prefer non vegetarian dishes and fast food instead of the traditional and healthy menu of Kerala. It is paradoxical that Kerala , which was once famous for its healthy life styles and health care rituals has plunged into the whirl pool of fast food culture and is heading for a point of no return. The unhealthy food habits coupled with boozing of Kerala has triggered a spate of serious health issues and has reduced the life span of its populace alarmingly. Figures show that Kerala consumes 5,000 tonnes of meat every day and 80% of its population are non vegetarians, making it the largest meat eating population in the country . Not to forget the dubious distinction of having the highest per capita liquor consumption in the country, which makes it a really unhealthy combo by any standards.At least during the festival season of Onam and Vishu, let us abstain from non vegetarian dishes to make sure that the unique culinary richness of our State is not lost forever!