· State Protocol officer of Maharashtra and many diplomats were present
By Mewati Sitaram
In a great gesture to Indian festivals, Sri Lankan Consul General in Mumbai His Excellency Dr. Valsan Vethody celebrated the Onam Sadhya lunch at the Consulate office. The Chief Guest on the occasion was Milind Hardas, Chief Protocol Officer of Government of Maharashtra.
The lighting of the traditional oil lamp was done by Consul General H.E. Dr. Valsan Vethody and other dignitaries. It may be noted that Onam is the biggest and the most important festival of Kerala. It is celebrated by all Malayali’s irrespective of caste and creed all over India and the world. In Sri Lanka, there are many families that celebrate Onam and Dr. Valson’s family is one of them. Entire team members of the Consulate office were present during the event and officials also wore traditional Sri Lankan attire.
There were many high-profile dignitaries and diplomats from various countries attending the event. The dignitaries who attended the event included Diplomat from Mauritius consulate, Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh and Head of Branch Secretariat of Ministry of External Affairs Mumbai.
Sri Lankan CG sharing dining table with dignitaries at Onam Sadhya meal
The Onam Sadhya meal was served traditionally on Banana leaf and almost 26 varieties of onam delicacies were served to esteemed guests. It is worth mentioning that CG of Sri Lanka Dr. Valson is deeply connected with Indian traditions and celebration. He is a great scholar and has studied Veda’s, Upanishad and Geeta. These are his rare achievements.
In India, Onam is one of the most vibrant harvest festivals. The day celebrates the arrival of King Mahabali to his kingdom every year. In Kerala, floral arrangements known as pookalams, Thiruvathira Kali, and Vallamkali are used to mark the festival. Also, people dress up in new clothes, give jewellery and traditional clothes to loved ones during Onam celebrations. Women wear Kasavu sarees, while men purchase mundu and boys prefer Pattu Pavada. Onakalikal (a variety of games played during the festival), Vallamkali (a boat race), Pulikali (a tableau with actors dressed as tigers and hunters), and archery during Onam are additional cultural activities that people enjoy.
It is noteworthy that many Indian festivals Celebrated with great fervour and fanfare in Sri Lanka that includes Diwali, Mahashivratri, Pongal, Onam,Dussehra, Holi, Ganpati festival and Durga Pooja to name a few. All the festivals are celebrated the same way in Sri Lanka, as it is celebrated in India. It is worth mentioning that Aadishakti Seeta Amman Temple. (Sita Mata Temple) is situated in Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. This is the place where princess Seetha was kept in imprisonment by the then King Ravana. He abducted the princess back from India using his magnificent Dandumonara.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
