Mumbai: Actor Richa Chadha marked Onam in a special way this year as she travelled to Kerala with her daughter Zuneyra and visited the Gurupuram Sree Maha Vishnu Temple.
As part of the festive celebrations, Richa gifted a life-sized mechanical elephant, named Gurupuram Arjunan, to the temple.
In a joint Instagram post with PETA India, Richa shared glimpses from the ceremony.
Dressed in a traditional white-and-gold sari, the actor posed alongside her daughter Zuneyra, who wore a traditional Onam outfit.
Richa also attended the ceremony in person and took part in the unveiling of Gurupuram Arjunan.
The unveiling was followed by traditional Chenda Melam and Thiruvathira dance performances, adding to the festive spirit of the occasion.
Reflecting on the special Onam celebration, Richa said, “It was a very special feeling to be here in person and celebrate Onam in such a beautiful and culturally rich setting. To be there with my daughter made it even more special. To see her enjoy the festivities, colours and immerse her in the traditions felt truly special. We got a special Onam dress made for her to be dressed for the occasion. Our festivals, traditions are such an integral part of who we are. I believe that embracing our culture also means understanding how we can carry these traditions forward with greater compassion, with the aid of technology. There is something beautiful about witnessing a tradition being preserved that too, in a kinder and more thoughtful way of celebrating it.”
She added, “Onam is a festival that celebrates togetherness, abundance, gratitude and the spirit of community. Celebrations should always include compassion. Elephants are such magnificent and intelligent beings, these large mammals are highly social. They deserve to live freely in their natural environment with their kind. I am truly grateful that this temple, its trustees agreed to this magnificent present. I am sure it will become a local attraction! For me, this was not simply about presenting an elephant to a temple; it was about being part of a cultural celebration, experiencing the warmth of the people, eating Onam Sadhya with them here and contributing in a small way to something that can have a larger impact. I hope more people see that tradition and compassion do not have to be at odds with each other. We can celebrate our festivals, honour our customs and still make choices that are kinder to animals. I feel grateful to have been able to witness this moment and to celebrate Onam in such a meaningful way.”
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On the work front, Richa was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’.
She will next be seen in an upcoming comedy film written by Amitosh Nagpal, which is set to go on floors soon.
