Hyderabad’s Malayali presence is becoming increasingly visible, not just through its growing community but also through the way Keralam’s food, festivals and traditions are finding a place in the city’s cultural landscape. Onam, in particular, has evolved beyond a celebration confined to Malayali households, with restaurants, hotels, community groups and food enthusiasts across the city coming together to experience the traditional Onam Sadhya.
This year, the city has witnessed an even stronger presence of Onam celebrations, with several Sadhya offerings bringing the flavours and traditions of Keralam to a wider audience. From community gatherings and elaborate sit-down feasts to specially curated restaurant menus and takeaway spreads, the festival has become an increasingly familiar part of Hyderabad’s festive calendar. The traditional banana-leaf meal, with its array of avial, olan, thoran, kaalan, sambar, pickles, chips, pappadam and payasams, offers diners a wholesome introduction to Keralam’s rich culinary heritage.
We enjoyed one such elaborate spread at Mazzo at Marriott Executive Apartments in Gachibowli, which hosted an Onam Sadhya curated by Executive Chef Suresh Rajan Pillai. The venue took on a festive Keralam-inspired ambience with floral decorations, traditional lamps and other touches that added to the spirit of the celebration. The Sadhya featured an array of Kerala favourites, including kaalan, sambar, avial, inji puli, sarkara upperi, olan and kootu, followed by three varieties of payasam.
For Hyderabad’s Malayali community, such celebrations are about more than just food. They offer a comforting taste of home and an opportunity to keep traditions alive while living away from Keralam. What is particularly heartening this year, however, is how these celebrations are drawing in a much wider audience. Hyderabadis from different communities are increasingly embracing the Sadhya, discovering its flavours and participating in the festivities.