Onam celebrations light up the UAE: Kerala expats mark Thiruvonam on public holiday
Vegetarian feast and mega events mark main day of south Indian harvest festival of unity
Dubai: Onasadhya, a traditional vegetarian feast featuring nearly two dozen dishes, took over kitchens in tens of thousands of homes and restaurants across the UAE on Sunday as expats from the south Indian state of Kerala celebrated Thiruvonam, the most important day of the 10-day Onam harvest festival.
Thiruvonam falling on a Sunday, combined with a public holiday for the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), allowed many Malayali expats to celebrate with family and friends.
At numerous venues, men dressed as King Maveli or Mahabali, the legendary ruler whose homecoming is honoured during Onam. The festivities included drum beats, traditional dance performances, jasmine-adorned women, vibrant pookkalams (floral decorations on the floor), traditional games like vadam vali (tug of war), and off-white and gold ethnic attire, among other cultural elements.
From Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai to Shawka Dam area in Ras Al Khaimah, friends and families gathered to savour Onasadhya.
Anoop Raj, an IT director at a UAE conglomerate, hosted four families for Onam celebrations at his home on Sheikh Zayed Road.
“Onam is all about enjoying time with family and friends. Keralites celebrate it without regard for caste or religion. All my friends who joined my family today are Muslims, and they had double celebrations due to the Prophet’s Birthday. While we got the Onasadhya delivered from a restaurant, we, especially the kids, had a lot of fun making the Pookkalam,” he said.
Ram Prasad, who works at a farmhouse in the Shawka Dam area in Ras Al Khaimah, said he enjoyed the sadhya provided by Malayali families who stayed at the farm house for the weekend celebrations. “This is my second time having sadhya this year. In April, another group of Keralites came for Vishu celebrations, and they treated me to this special vegetarian feast. I love it,” said Prasad, who hails from the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Pookkalam tribute to UAE amnesty
Burjeel Medical City (BMC) in Abu Dhabi marked Onam with a massive pookkalam made from 600kg of flowers, symbolising both the festival’s spirit of togetherness and the UAE’s values of tolerance, generosity, and peace.
More than 100 healthcare workers, along with patients and their families of various nationalities, arranged the flowers, incorporating a tribute to the UAE’s visa amnesty programme, which reflects the country’s commitment to second chances.
Dr Sanjai Kumar, the chief human resources officer of Burjeel Holding, said: “Onam is more than just a festival; it’s a time to reflect on togetherness and community. This year, we wanted our floral carpet to not only symbolise Onam but also reflect the values that the UAE stands for. It’s a celebration of both our cultures and shared ideals, especially in a year where the UAE has shown incredible kindness through initiatives like the visa amnesty.”
However, he noted that the celebrations were subdued, except for the giant pookkalam, in remembrance of the recent landslides in Kerala, showing solidarity with those affected in Wayanad. Many people who hail from the district that also either called off their Onam celebrations this year or prayed for the victims and their families, paying tributes to the victims of the July 30 landslides that reportedly claimed more than 400 lives and flattened buildings in two villages.
In other emirates as well, healthcare workers from various hospital groups also celebrated Onam. Jinsu Ann Sabu, a registered nurse, said Malayali healthcare workers organised the annual event attended by people of different nationalities. “There were top executives from various countries who joined us in ethnic attire. We had a great time with pookkalam, Thiruvathira dance, vadam vali, and other games. The sadhya was definitely a highlight,” she said.
Mega fest by college friends
The AKCAF Association, an umbrella body of alumni from over 100 Kerala colleges in the UAE, hosted a grand celebration at the Dubai International Convention Centre, dubbed by the organisers as the biggest Onam celebration outside Kerala.
Paul T Joseph, president of AKCAF, said around 18,000 people attended the day-long event, which featured traditional cultural performances, games, competitions, a colorful parade, and sadhya for thousands of attendees. “To celebrate AKCAF’s 26th anniversary, we also flew in 26 mothers of workers for an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai,” he added.
Malayali-Filipino families
Phil Ind United, a community of Filipino-Indian families, celebrated Onam at a hotel in Ajman. Around 20 families, where the husbands are Keralites and the wives are Filipinas, celebrated the festival with their children, who enjoy traditions from both cultures.
Ravi Karumath, a member whose wife Jonalyn, who became Janaki after marriage, launched a Facebook community page leading to the group’s formation in 2021, said: “Despite their limited exposure to Kerala’s culture, the kids learn Onam songs, Thiruvathirakkali [a traditional dance], pookkalam, and vadam vali. It’s a special celebration, thanks to the UAE, where we’ve built families and friendships with people from different nationalities.”
Huge rush for sadhya
Restaurants and hypermarkets selling Onasadhya reported huge demand. Many customers had pre-booked their meals, while others preferred to dine in.
“We’ve ensured everyone experiences the same festive spirit as back home with farm-fresh vegetables, flowers, and traditional essentials, along with sarees and set mundus from India,” said Lulu Group Director Salim MA. Thousands of customers enjoyed Onasadhya, featuring 22 dishes and two types of payasam, prepared by 80 chefs trained by Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, a renowned Kerala chef known for his traditional cuisine expertise, who was flown into the UAE last week.
Salim said the ‘Mega Onam Mamangam’, event hosted by Lulu at Expo Centre Sharjah, is a highlight of the celebrations, featuring traditional Onam dishes, cultural performances, and community activities. Malayalam film stars like Tovino Thomas also made appearances, adding to the excitement for the expatriate community.