Abu Dhabi: Expatriates from the Indian subcontinent have started celebrating their New Year and harvest festivals, which will continue until the weekend, displaying their colourful cultural diversity.
More than two million Indians constitute the largest expatriate community in the UAE, and Bangladeshis, with an estimated population of 700,000, are the third largest community after Pakistanis.
Bangladeshis celebrated their New Year, Pohela Baishakh, on Monday. Indians celebrate the same occasion on Tuesday but with different names, customs and rituals.
It is Vishu for the south Indian state of Kerala, Ronagali Bihu in the northeastern state of Assam, Puthandu in the state of Tamil Nadu, Baisakhi in the state of Punjab and Naba Barsha in the East Indian state of Bengal.
Preparations for Vishu were visible across the UAE because of the presence of an estimated one million Keralites who constitute the largest single community group in the UAE.
Hypermarkets and supermarkets across the UAE displayed traditional items brought from Kerala to arrange the ‘Kani kanal’, meaning first sight, an important custom with which the festival begins early in the morning.
On Vishu, Keralites believe that one should see good things in the morning as this determines their fortunes for the entire year, for which they make arrangements the previous night.
The offering, the Vishu kani containing auspicious items, consists of rice placed on a plantain leaf on a brass vessel.
There is also a new piece of cloth, a yellow cucumber, betel leaves and nuts, a metal mirror, yellow flowers of the konna tree, gold, coins and coconut halves containing oil with burning wicks. A brass lamp with coconut oil is lit by the brass vessel.
“We wake up by 4.30am to 5am to see Vishu kani,” Shashi Kumar Nair, 49, an accounting professional, said.
He gives his children Vishu Kaineetam. Money given to children by elders in the house is traditionally known as Vishu Kaineetam.
Nair and his wife Rajashree take leave from work on Vishu every year. Their school-going children, Swetha and Shreeya, also do not go to school on this day. “They should not miss the traditions and customs although they are living away from home,” Nair said.
Surma Sarkar, 41, a homemaker from West Bengal, was arranging mango and banana leaves on a brass vessel as an auspicious offering to celebrate the New Year along the lines of her traditions. “Tuesday being a working day, we will have a traditional feast during the weekend with family and friends,” she said.
For most of the Bangladeshis, it is a cultural event. Nasheta Hussain, 45, a homemaker, said. “We offered sweets to relatives and friends and wished them New Year yesterday [Monday].” Hussain and her family and friends will attend the celebrations organised by the Bangladeshi Embassy and Bangladeshi Ladies Association in Abu Dhabi on April 18 and 25 respectively.