Banana Leaves and Bountiful Feasts

Your Guide to Onam 2026 Celebrations

From the abundance of the harvest to the joy of eating together, here’s why the traditional Onam Sadhya is one of India’s most memorable festive meals and where to experience it in Bombay and other cities this year.

Traditional Kerala Onam Sadhya at Gourami, Powai

Onam is Kerala’s great harvest festival, a celebration of abundance, prosperity, community and the legendary homecoming of King Mahabali. And at the heart of the festivities is a meal as generous as the occasion itself: the Onam Sadhya.

So, What Exactly Is an Onam Sadhya?

Sadhya, which literally refers to a feast, is a traditional vegetarian meal from Kerala made up of an impressive array of dishes. It is served on a banana or plantain leaf, with each preparation placed in a prescribed position and the meal progressing in a customary sequence. There is a little bit of everything on that leaf: crisp banana chips, pickles and pachadis; vegetable preparations such as avial, thoran, olan and erissery; dal, sambar and rasam; Kerala red rice; cooling buttermilk; and, inevitably, a glorious finale of payasam.

The exact menu varies from household to household and region to region, but the philosophy remains remarkably consistent: abundance, balance and celebration.

What Should You Expect on the Leaf?


Santosham, Bombay	HyLo Bombay	The Tanjore Tiffin Room	Madras Kitchen, Bangalore

Think of the Sadhya as an amalgamation of flavours and textures. You may begin with upperi or banana chips, sharkara varatti, pickles, inji puli, pachadis and pappadam, before moving into the main rice-and-curry course. Parippu with ghee, sambar, avial, olan, kaalan, erissery, thoran, kootu curry and rasam are among the preparations commonly found on a festive Sadhya. And then comes the part many diners are waiting for: payasam. Palada pradhaman, ada pradhaman and parippu pradhaman are some of the classics, with different Sadhyas offering their own variations. Several of the menus featured this year go well beyond 20 dishes, with some restaurants promising 25, 30 or even 40-plus preparations. The banana leaf isn't merely a plate but is part of the ritual. The dishes are arranged in a traditional order, with accompaniments placed around the leaf and rice taking centre stage. At many traditional Sadhyas, diners eat with their hands, mixing rice with the different curries and moving through the courses as the meal progresses. And traditionally, servings can be replenished generously because a feast called Sadhya is not supposed to leave anyone counting the last spoonful.

Why You Should Experience a Sadhya at Least Once


JW Marriott, Juhu	The Merchants at Fairmont Mumbai	Banana Leaf, Bombay

If you have never had a Sadhya, Onam is a pretty good occassion to start. It is one of those meals where you sit down expecting lunch and quickly realise there is a lot more food coming your way. There is a banana leaf, a long list of dishes, rice in the middle, curries and sides arriving in a particular order, and, eventually, payassam.

Here’s why it deserves a place on your festive bucket list.

It is a delicious introduction to Kerala

A Sadhya is one of the easiest ways to get a taste of Kerala's food culture in one sitting. The banana leaf, the order in which the dishes are served, eating with your hands, the use of seasonal ingredients and the recipes themselves all form part of the Sadhya tradition. You don't have to know every dish before you arrive. Just ask what you're eating, taste everything and follow the meal as it comes.

Quality time and celebrations with family and friends

Sadhya is best enjoyed around a table with other people. Families and friends sit down together, eat from their banana leaves, compare favourites and inevitably discuss which dish deserves another helping. It turns a meal into time spent together—which is exactly what a festival like Onam is about.

You get to try a lot of food in one meal

This may be the most obvious reason, but it is also one of the best. A traditional Sadhya can have dozens of preparations, from banana chips and pickles to avial, olan, erissery, thoran, sambar and rasam, followed by one or more payasams. It is essentially a tasting menu where you get to sample dishes made with coconut, seasonal vegetables, lentils, yoghurt, rice, jaggery and the spices commonly used in Kerala cooking.

It celebrates the produce of the season

Onam is a harvest festival, and the Sadhya reflects that beautifully. Vegetables, rice, bananas, coconut and other familiar ingredients are turned into an impressive number of preparations. It is a reminder that you don't need elaborate ingredients to make a memorable feast—you need good produce and plenty of imagination in the kitchen.

And, honestly, because you get to eat lots of payassam

Because after all those curries, vegetables, rice and accompaniments, waiting for the grand finale is payassam and you are absolutely going to find room for it. Better still, there may be more than one variety. The real Onam challenge isn't finishing the Sadhya. It's making sure you don't miss dessert.

Where to Eat an Onam Sadhya in Bombay

Onam Aaghosham: A Traditional Kerala Sadhya at The Merchants at Fairmont Mumbai

Bombay is going all in on Kerala's harvest feast this year, with hotel restaurants, regional specialists and contemporary dining rooms offering everything from intimate banana-leaf meals to elaborate 40-plus-dish spreads.

1. JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu — The Grand Sadhya at Saffron

The Grand Sadhya at Saffron promises an elaborate vegetarian feast built around classic Kerala preparations. The meal begins with mor, uppu, banana, banana chips, inji puli and mango acharam, followed by thorana, erissery, kaalan, kottu curry and aviyal. Mango pulisary, poriyal, paruppu curry, sambar and rasam follow, before matta rice, ponni rice, thayir sadam and appalam make an appearance. The meal ends with ada pradhaman.

Address: Saffron, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, Juhu, Mumbai
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: 12:30 PM–3:30 PM; 7:00 PM–11:30 PM
Price: Rs 4,500 per person + applicable taxes

2. The Merchants, Fairmont Mumbai — Onam Aaghosham

This banana-leaf Sadhya is being presented in collaboration with Backwaters Chechie, led by Shobha Pillai Cutinho. Expect kaya upperi, sharkara varatti, parippu vada, pappadam, manga achar and inji puli, followed by pineapple and beetroot pachadis, avial, olan, kaalan and erissery. The feast continues with beans and carrot thoran, cabbage thoran, vazhakka mezhukkupuratti, Kerala matta rice, parippu, ghee, sambar and rasam. Appam with vegetable stew, kappa vevichadhu and manga kanthari mulagu chammandi add further regional character. Dessert brings ada pradhaman, parippu pradhaman and Thiruvonam paal payasam, followed by sambharam and filter coffee. The celebration also includes live music, performing arts, traditional entertainment, arts and crafts and heritage-inspired elements.

Address: The Merchants, Fairmont Mumbai
Date: 22 August 2026 Time: Lunch & dinner

3. Taj Santacruz — Onam Sadhya at Tiqri

Taj Santacruz is keeping things quintessentially Kerala with a traditional vegetarian Sadhya served on a banana leaf. The experience is positioned as a celebration of Kerala's culinary heritage, abundance and togetherness.

Address: Tiqri, Taj Santacruz, Mumbai
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: Lunch, from 12:30 PM onwards
Price: Rs 2,750 + taxes per person
Reservations: +91 22 6211 5211

4. Gourami, Powai — 25+ Dish Kerala Sadhya

Gourami's first Onam celebration is particularly compelling for diners looking for a traditional, full-length Sadhya experience. More than 25 vegetarian dishes will be served on a fresh plantain leaf in the traditional Kerala sequence, with all six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent) represented. The menu includes Nendran banana chips, sharkara upperi, sarkara varatti, puli inji, manga curry and naranga achaar, followed by Kerala red rice, parippu with ghee, sambar, aviyal, thoran, olan, erissery, kichadi, pachadi and koottu curry. Rasam and moru follow, while the sweet finish features palada pradhaman, parippu pradhaman, pazham nirachathu and ripe Nendran banana.

Address: Gourami, Bus Stop, Adi Shankaracharya Marg, Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road, near Panch Kutir, Powai, Mumbai 400076
Date: 25 & 26 August 2026
Time: 12:00 PM–4:00 PM; two seatings
Price: Rs 1,099 all-inclusive
Reservations: 9002600810

5. The Tanjore Tiffin Room — Bombay Outlets

The Tanjore Tiffin Room is bringing out a 30-dish Sadhya across its Mumbai presence, with the feast served on a banana leaf and designed to be eaten together by courses. Expect sambar, rasam, avial, olan and kaalan, alongside beetroot thayir pachadi, beans thoran, sharkara upperi, pazhampori, puli inji, raw mango pickle, papadam and curd. The finale features pal payasam and sharkara adapradhaman. The Sadhya will be available for lunch at the brand's Nesco, Bandra and Versova outlets on all three days.

Address: Tanjore Tiffin Room — Nesco, Bandra and Versova outlets
Date: 26, 27 & 28 August 2026
Time: Lunch; regular à la carte menu in the evening

6. HyLo, Kala Ghoda — Traditional Onam Sadhya

HyLo is offering an extensive, unlimited Sadhya across two sittings. The meal starts with pazham nurukku, mango and lime pickles, injipuli, banana chips, jaggery banana chips, boondi, kalath podi and ghee, veppilakatti and pappadam. The menu then moves through masala vada, kozhukattai, parippu, pazham pulissery, vendakkai sambar and lemon rasam. Carrot kichadi, pineapple pachadi, muzhukku puratti, urulai kizhangu poriyal, avial and vada kootu curry accompany steamed red and white rice. The meal concludes with thayir sadham, ada pradhaman and parippu pradhaman.

Address: HyLo, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: 12:00 PM–2:00 PM; 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
Price: Rs 1,299++ per person
Format: Set menu with unlimited servings
Reservations: +91 90041 91901

7. Santosham — The Great Onam Sadhya

If quantity is your love language, Santosham's 40+ dish Sadhya deserves a place on the list. Served on a banana leaf, the feast includes pachadis, pickles and podis, followed by parippu curry, varutharacha sambar, rasam, kaalan, olan, avial, kootu curry, pulissery, thoran and mezhukkupuratti. There are also varieties of rice, thayir sadam, neyyappam, sharkara varatti, chakka upperi, banana, ghee, mor milagai and pappadam. Dessert comes in the form of palada pradhaman, parippu pradhaman and semiya payasam.

Address: Santosham outlets at Marine Drive, Powai, Thane
Date: Marine Drive & Powai — 21–23, 26 & 28–30 August 2026; Thane — 26 August 2026
Time: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM & 7:00 PM–10:00 PM
Price: Rs 1,449++ per person

8. Dakshin, ITC Grand Central — Onam Sadhya

Dakshin is celebrating with an Onam Sadhya featuring sambaram, payar thoran, kootu curry, avial, olan, kaalan, erissery, paruppu thalichathu, kaita chakka pachadi, sambar, tomato rasam and kuthari choru. Festive accompaniments include kaya varuthathu, sharkara upperi, puli inji, naranga achar and papadam, with palada payasam rounding things off.

Address: Dakshin, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
Date: 16–26 August 2026
Time: Lunch 12:30 PM–3:30 PM; dinner 7:30 PM–11:45 PM
Price: Rs 3,250 + taxes; Rs 3,599 + taxes on 26 August

9. Banana Leaf, Versova — 25+ Dish Sadhya

Banana Leaf returns with its annual Onam Sadhya, featuring more than 25 festive delicacies. The spread includes upperi, sharkara varati, muthira chutney, pickle, pulinchi, vattal mulaku, cabbage kootu ularthiyathu, kaya paya, kootu curry, beetroot pachadi, pumpkin erissery, avial, olan, kal dosa and Kerala paratha. Boiled brown rice, pappadam, sambar, rasam, buttermilk and banana lead into ada payasam and parippu payasam.

Address: Banana Leaf, Versova outlet, Mumbai
Date: 26 & 27 August 2026

Where to Eat an Onam Sadhya in Bangalore

Authentic Onam Sadhya at Taj Bangalore served on a traditional banana leaf

Bangalore's Onam table spans luxury hotels, regional restaurants and contemporary dining rooms, with everything from a classic banana-leaf Sadhya to larger festive brunches.

10. Madras Kitchen, Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru, UB City — Onam Bloom

Onam Bloom brings a traditional Sadhya to Madras Kitchen from 24 to 26 August. The menu highlights classic Kerala preparations including avial, olan, thoran and sambar, followed by two payassams: ari payassam and palada payassam.

Address: Madras Kitchen, Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru, UB City
Date: 24–26 August 2026 Time: 12:00 PM–3:30 PM
Price: Rs 1,999 all-inclusive

11. Karavalli, Vivanta Bengaluru Residency Road — 26-Dish Onam Sadya

Karavalli is serving a 26-dish Onam Sadya traditionally on a banana leaf, celebrating the homecoming of King Mahabali. The menu is built around seasonal produce and family recipes, with several ingredients sourced directly from Kerala, including onaklasi, Kuttanad ada, kari naaranga, coconut oil, raw banana, pumpkin, banana chips and jaggery-coated chips.

Address: Karavalli, Vivanta Bengaluru Residency Road
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: 11:30 AM–3:30 PM
Price: Rs 2,950 + taxes per person
Reservations: +91 8066604519 / +91 7416713830

12. Shangri-La Bengaluru — Ssaffron

At Ssaffron, the Onam Sadya Festival Menu is served on a traditional banana leaf. The feast includes inji puli, kadugu manga, avial, kootu curry, erissery, olan, varutharacha sambar, Kerala rasam, kadala curry and parippu with ghee, accompanied by Kerala matta rice, pappadam and sambaram. Desserts include palada pradhaman, parippu pradhaman, Kozhikode halwa and elaichi banana.

Address: Ssaffron, Shangri-La Bengaluru
Date: 26 August 2026
Price: Rs 2,500 + tax per person

For a more expansive buffet experience, b Café will feature Onam Sadhya specialities within its Indian buffet section on 26 August.

Address: b Café, Shangri-La Bengaluru
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: Buffet lunch;
Price: Rs 3,000 + tax per person

13. Kalpaney — Indiranagar & JP Nagar

Kalpaney is serving an authentic 25-plus dish Sadhya for both lunch and dinner on 26 August. The meal begins with upperi, sharkara varatti, salt, ghee, small banana, puli inji, mango pickle and lime pickle. The main spread includes parippu curry, sambar, moru curry, rasam, beans mezhukkupuratti, cabbage thoran, kaalan, olan, avial, koottu curry, erissery, beetroot pachadi and pineapple pachadi. The meal ends with palada payasam and parippu pradhaman.

Address: Kalpaney, Indiranagar and JP Nagar, Bengaluru
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: Lunch & dinner

14. Tamarind, Taj Bangalore — Traditional Banana-Leaf Sadhya

Tamarind at Taj Bangalore is putting together a traditional banana-leaf Sadhya accompanied by festive décor and live Chenda music, subject to availability. The feast includes sambaram, avial, olan, kaalan, erissery, kootu curry and ulli theeyal, followed by Kerala matta rice with parippu and ghee, sambar, pulissery and rasam. Desserts include ada pradhaman and parippu pradhaman.

Address: Tamarind, Taj Bangalore
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: 12:30 PM–3:30 PM
Price: Rs 5,500 per person + taxes
Reservations: +91 91489 06663

15. Vijaynagar Hall, Taj MG Road — Traditional Onam Sadhya

This Sadhya is designed for families, friends, corporate gatherings and festive get-togethers. Expect banana chips, sharkara varatti, pappadam, pickles and pachadi, followed by avial, olan, kaalan, thoran, erissery, sambar, parippu with ghee, rasam and moru curry. Kerala rice and ada pradhaman and palada payasam complete the meal.

Address: Vijaynagar Hall, Taj MG Road, Bengaluru
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: 11:30 AM–12:30 PM; 12:45 PM–1:45 PM; 2:00 PM–3:00 PM; 3:15 PM–4:15 PM
Price: Rs 2,800 + taxes
Reservations: +91 97692 81442

16. Machan, Taj West End — An Ode to Onam

Machan is taking a broader, celebratory approach with an Onam brunch rather than a strictly vegetarian Sadhya. The spread includes erissery, avial, thoran, olan, kaalan, sambar, rasam, parippu, pulissery and moru curry, alongside live Appam & Stew and Seafood Grill counters. There are also fish curry, prawn moilee, chicken stew and mutton mappas. Desserts include ada payasam, semiya payasam, palada payasam and parippu pradhaman.
Address: Machan, Taj West End, Bengaluru
Date: 26 August 2026
Time: 12:30 PM–3:30 PM
Price: Rs 3,700 + taxes with soft beverages; Rs 5,300 + taxes with select premium beverages; Rs 8,999 + taxes inclusive of select champagne

Where to Eat an Onam Sadhya in Gurugram

Onam with a Traditional Sadhya at Hosa

17. Qissa, Le Méridien Gurgaon — Onam Sadhya with Chef Rekha Raghavan

Qissa is turning its table over to a five-day celebration of Kerala, from 22 to 26 August, with Chef Rekha Raghavan, founder of Magic with Spices. Her Sadhya follows the recipes her grandmother prepared four decades ago, with the feast served on a fresh banana leaf in the prescribed order. Expect upperi, sharkara varatti, parippu, sambar, avial, kaalan, olan, thoran, inji puli and payasam. An especially nice touch: Qissa plans to share the traditions, techniques and provenance behind the dishes at the table, making this as much a cultural experience as a meal.

Address: Qissa, Level 12, Le Méridien Gurgaon, Delhi NCR, Sector 26, Gurugram
Date: 22–26 August 2026
Price: Rs 1,849 all-inclusive per person
Reservations: +91 70650 11521

18. Hosa, Gurugram — Onam Sadhya Lunch

Hosa is serving its Onam Sadhya on 26 August, with the feast presented on a traditional banana leaf. The spread includes sarkara upperi and varutha upperi, followed by puli inji, beetroot pachadi, pappadam, thoran, erissery, olan, avial, koottu curry, ulli theeyal, sambar, rasam, Kerala red rice, parippu with ghee and thair. Desserts include semiya payasam and palada pradhaman, accompanied by yellow banana. You can also expect Dahamukti water and buttermilk.

Address: Plaza Level, One Horizon Centre, T1-11, Golf Course Road, Horizon Colony, DLF Phase 5, Sector 43, Gurugram
Date: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Time: 12:00 PM–4:00 PM

19. OMO Gurgaon — Annual Onam Sadhya

OMO Gurgaon brings back its annual Sadhya on 29 and 30 August, with 26 dishes served on a banana leaf across two sittings. The restaurant is keeping the traditional structure and sequence intact, while bringing its ingredient-led approach to a handful of elements—including a monsoon-foraged fiddlehead fern, Manipur pineapple and Kashmiri plum. The feast begins with Vadukapulli Naranga Achar, Sadya Manga Achar, Inji Pulli, Kaya Varatha and Sarkkara Varatiyatu, before moving into Kurukku Kalan, Olan, Avial, Fiddlehead Thoran, Beans Mezhukupuratiyatu and Cabbage Thoran. Yoghurt-based sides include vendakka kichadi, beetroot pachadi, vellerika pachadi and madhura pachadi, while pineapple pulisherry and matanga moru curry add further variety. At the centre of the leaf sits Matta red rice, served with parippu, homemade ghee, pineapple rasam and sambar. The meal finishes with a seasonal Kashmiri plum payasam.

Address: OMO, R-004, 2nd Floor, DLF Galleria Market, Sector 28, DLF Phase IV, Gurugram, Haryana 122009
Date: 29 and 30 August 2026
Time: 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM — two sittings
Price: Rs 2,199 per person

The beauty of an Onam Sadhya is that it resists being reduced to a checklist of dishes. Yes, there may be 25, 30 or 40 preparations on the leaf. But the real pleasure is in understanding how those preparations come together. It is in the contrast between a crisp banana chip and creamy payasam, the tang of inji puli against a mild olan, the richness of ghee and parippu, the freshness of seasonal vegetables and the cooling finish of sambaram. Most of all, it is in the act of sitting down together.

Whether you're Malayali and looking for a taste of home, familiar with Kerala cuisine or simply curious about one of India's rich culinary traditions, an Onam Sadhya offers more than a meal. It offers a glimpse into the festival through the food, the rituals, the harvest and the festive spirit.

Onam Ashamsakal!