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Much awaited Onam is here and Malayalis not just in India but also abroad are celebrating this 10-day long festival with great joy and fervour. Onasadhya makes up for an indominable part of Onam which marks the beginning of harvest and return of King Mahabali to his beloved state. Like every year, the correctional facilities across Kerala are all set to serve a scrumptious and wholesome Onasadhya feast to the inmates. But this time, the kitchens of the prisons will also serve a delectable spicy chicken curry to inmates along with the customary payasam. It needs to be mentioned here that the feast is prepared by the inmates themselves.
Video credits: Village Cooking-Kerala/YouTube
The Kannur Central Jail, with around 1050 inmates, will have a special Onasadhya feast comprising of dishes like ghee rice, chicken curry, salad, and palpayasam. For the vegetarians, cauliflower and dal curry will be provided as part of the feast. Similarly in Kannur’s Women Prison and Correctional Home, the Onasadhya feast will feature the special chicken curry for all the inmates. As per reports, parotta and curry will also be served for breakfast while tea and snacks will be served in the evening on Onam.
However, this special chicken curry will not be served at the Open Prison and Correctional Home in Cheemeni. Instead, the inmates would enjoy dishes like pachadi, payasam and kichadi. Chicken curry would be served to the inmates for breakfast with puttu and chapati. While inmates would cook the feast themselves, jail officers would also collaborate in the preparation of Sadhya and other dishes.
According to a report published in english.matrabhumi.com, there are over 9500 inmates in all the 56 prisons in Kerala state. Sadhya preparation in Kerala prisons is done on ten special occasions I.e., Vishu, Ramzan, Bakrid, Easter, Christmas, Republic Day, Independence Day, Onam, Gandhi Jayanti and Kerala Piravi.
