Mumbai : Even as Kerala gears up to celebrate Thiruvonam on Aug 23, Malayalis in Mumbai too are all set to celebrate the harvest festival with great pomp, with colourful `pookalams' (flower rangolis) and elaborate `sadhyas' (feasts) with family and friends being the order of the day.

On Aug 23, several Malayalis will start Thiruvonam with a ritual bath, followed by a visit to the temple. Being a harvest festival, Onam transcends religion. Abdul Razzak, a Navi Mumbai resident, describes Onam as the "national festival of Kerala''. "Currently, Ramzan and Onam co-exist happily in our lives. On Monday, we will fast through the day and prepare the `onasadhya' for the night. There will be a spread of `appam' and fruit, apart from `khichda,' which is a Ramzan staple,'' he says, adding that Keralites of every religious denomination join Onam festivities.

Malayalam channels too seem to have been caught up in the enthusiasm of the festival. Since last week, pookalam competitions, where contestants, instead of using traditional coloured powder or flowers, used shredded cabbage, diced ladyfinger and carrots to create expansive and elaborate pookalams.

Interestingly, since Onam is mainly celebrated with family, Malayali `samajams' or groups have deferred their community celebrations until September or October. The Dahisar Malayali Samaj has organised a grand cultural programme and a feast on October 3. "Over 600 members will partake of 15-20 delicacies served on plantain leaves in the traditional way,'' says Secretary Jyothish Prasad. The `inji pachadi' or ginger curry, various rice preparations, pickles and different types of `payasams', loosely translated as `kheer', make this a day to look forward to.

K T Nair, vice-president of the New Bombay Kerala Samajam, explains the significance of the feast and the `pookalam'.