Onam Sadya

Literature
Malayalam literature starts from the late medieval period and includes such notable writers as the 14th-century Niranam poets (Madhava Panikkar,
Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar),
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and the 17th-century poet Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, whose works mark the dawn of both modern
Malayalam language and poetry.
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Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar and Kerala Varma Valiakoi Thampuran are noted for their contribution to
Malayalam prose.
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The "triumvirate of poets" (Kavithrayam): Kumaran Asan, Vallathol Narayana Menon, and Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer,
are recognised for moving Keralite poetry away from archaic sophistry and metaphysics, and towards a more lyrical mode.
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In the second half of the 20th century, Jnanpith winning poets and writers like G. Sankara Kurup, S. K. Pottekkatt, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, M. T.
Vasudevan Nair and O. N. V. Kurup had made valuable contributions to the modern Malayalam literature.
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Later, writers like O.
V. Vijayan, Kamaladas, M. Mukundan, Arundhati Roy, Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, had gained international recognition.
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Cuisine
Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and
meat. Culinary spices have been cultivated in Kerala for millennia and they are characteristic of its cuisine.
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Rice is a dominant staple that is eaten at all times of day.
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Breakfast dishes are frequently based on the rice
preparations idli, puttu, Idiyappam, or pulse-based vada or tapioca.
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These may be accompanied by
chutney, kadala, payasam, payar pappadam, Appam, chicken curry, beef fry, egg masala and fish
curry.
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Lunch dishes include rice and curry along with rasam, pulisherry and sambar.
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Sadhya is a
vegetarian meal, that is served on a banana leaf and followed with a cup of payasam.
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Popular snacks
include banana chips, yam crisps, tapioca chips, unniyappam and kuzhalappam.
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Sea food
specialities include karimeen, prawn, shrimp and other crustacean dishes.
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Kerala is one of the few places in India where there is no communal
distinction between the different food types. People of all religions share the same vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
Elephants
Elephants have been an integral part of culture of the state. Kerala is home to the largest domesticated population of elephant in Indiaabout 700 Indian
elephants, owned by temples as well as individuals.
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These elephants are mainly employed for the processions and displays associated with festivals
celebrated all around the state. About 10,000 festivals are celebrated in the state annually and some animal lovers have sometimes raised concerns