On Monday, August 31, Malayalees around the world celebrated the harvest festival of Onam.
The annual event is one of Kerala’s biggest occasions. This year, of course, celebrations were muted due to the coronavirus, but that didn’t stop top Indian stars from sending well-wishes to all their fans, having a traditional Onam sadya (feast) or donning traditional attire.
Here’s a look at some stars that rang in the Keralite festival in a grand fashion.
Malaika Arora indulged in a traditional feast
The Onam sadya has always been a big part of the festival. The traditional meal usually includes anywhere from nine to 30 different vegetarian dishes, from daal and sambar to avial (a vegetable dish made with coconut), pickle and banana chips.
Served on a banana leaf, this is a truly indulgent affair, and one of the highlights of the festival.
And it looks like Bollywood actress Malaika Arora made the most of it, alongside her family.
“Our table is set,” the actress posted on social media. “Finally after over five months, we are all together at my parents’ home on this very auspicious day of Onam.”
She went on to thank her mother for the very lavish spread.
In turn, her mother Joyce Arora, who is Malayali and an avid cook, also posted about the meal, saying that she was at home after two years.
"In the interim, my grandchildren have grown older and are now really getting to understand the meaning of the festival. Eating on a banana leaf was a novel experience for them," she said in a post on Instagram.
Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan spent time with family
The South Indian actress and her director partner shared pictures of their celebrations in Kochi, Kerala, in traditional attire.
"Onam wishes to all the lovely people around. Let's find reasons to be happy and enhance them with hope amidst this pandemic... that's the only way to invite a smile on everyone's face," Shivan wrote in the post.
The director also shared pictures with Nayanthara’s mother, calling her family. The South Indian power couple have been rumoured to have been together for four years now. In 2019, Nayanthara addressed Shivan as her "fiance" at an event, which led to rumours of their engagement.
Stars wearing their traditional best
Several South Indian stars posted pictures on social media of themselves wearing their traditional attire.
Popular Indian actor Mohanlal shared an image of him making a floral design while dressed in a traditional outfit – shirt and mundu – and wished his fans a happy Onam.
Actress Priyamani Raj opted for a stunning white and gold salwar suit paired with gold jewellery.
Beyond the Clouds actress Malavika Mohanan skipped the traditional kasuvu white and gold saree (which she called her first love) in favour of a shade of red for the occasion.
Those that sent good wishes
Meanwhile, many big Bollywood celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Shah Rukh Khan shared posts wishing everyone a happy Onam.
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Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
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Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
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Director: Rajkumar Hirani
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
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Sector: transport
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Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
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Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
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Started: 2020
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Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
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