Living in a nuclear Malayali family in Bengaluru, actress Sruthi Hariharan makes an effort to uphold their traditions by celebrating Onam with her husband, Raam Kumar, and daughter Janki. Recounting fond memories of attending Onam events at the East Cultural Association, she expresses her love for dishes like payasam, aviyal, and sharkara upperi served during the sadhya. Sruthi emphasizes her appreciation for the sustainability aspect of aviyal, a dish created from leftover vegetables. Reflecting on how her Onam celebrations have expanded after marrying Raam, she shares their family tradition of placing a pookalam, preparing a sadhya, and visiting a temple on the festival’s tenth day. Sruthi and Raam are committed to passing down cultural values to their daughter, Janki, who eagerly participates in the festivities by helping with the pookalam and learning Kaikottikali, a Kerala folk dance. Despite the challenges of being a nuclear family in an urban setting, they cherish their traditions and create meaningful experiences together.Sruthi emphasizes the importance of passing on traditions to her daughter, Janki, in order to stay connected to their cultural roots. The goal is to introduce Janki to the traditions that have been cherished by her parents, while also allowing her the freedom to choose whether to continue them in the future. Despite living away from Kerala, Sruthi feels it is crucial for Janki to remain connected to their heritage. She believes that participating in their traditions is significant, but ultimately respects her daughter's autonomy to decide how to carry them forward. For Sruthi, the essence of celebrating festivals like Onam lies in coming together with loved ones. Cooking a sadhya at home holds a special place in her heart as it symbolizes preparing a meal with love for cherished individuals, creating a meaningful and intimate gathering on such occasions.