Abu Dhabi: Around 10,000 people are expected to attend a three-day event called ‘Kerala Festival’ at the Kerala Social Centre (KSC) in the capital from November 29 to December 1.
The festival will highlight the culture and heritage of the South Indian state, the organisers announced here on Wednesday. The 46-year-old KSC is a prominent sociocultural forum of Keralites in Abu Dhabi.
The festival from 5pm to 11pm on three days will feature stalls offering traditional Kerala cuisine, street foods and books. A science exhibition, medical camp and stalls selling commercial goods and services will also be there.
A Dh10 entry ticket will give a chance for the visitors to enter a draw to be held on December 1 evening, which will give away a 2019-model Nissan Sunny car as the first prize and 100 other prizes.
Renowned folk singer Praseetha Chalakkudy and her team will present their popular folk songs. Several other musical performances, group dance, Mappila pattu (traditional songs of Malabar Muslims) will also entertain the crowd.
“There will be many other cultural events that will arouse nostalgia of a Keralite expatriate,” said Beeran Kutty, president of the KSC.
He said a part of the proceeds would be used for rebuilding the flood-hit Kerala. The festival will also help fund the ongoing renovation of the centre building, Kutty said.
Bijith Kumar, general secretary of the KSC, said the festival would be the most popular event in the history of the centre.
Established in 1972, the KSC moved to the current premises in Madinat Zayed in the capital in 1996. One of the five Indian community organisations in the capital registered with the UAE Ministry of Community Development, the KSC caters to around 4,500 people, including around 1,500 members and their family members.
