Onam preparations in full swing

Preparations to celebrate Onam, the biggest festival of Kerala, are in full swing with the expatriate community from the Indian state busy shopping and preparing for the grand feast that is synonymous with the event.

The celebrations will start on August 29 but many community organisations are also holding off cultural events until next month when many of the expatriates who are currently on holiday will be back. In Kerala, the festival is a 10-day extravaganza steeped in tradition.

In the UAE, the Onam spirit is apparent in a heavy rush of customers at retail outlets selling Indian grocery items as they try to avail special prices on ingredients used in the preparation of Onasadya, the traditional vegetarian spread which is an integral part of the celebrations. As part of their Onam celebrations, many hotels and restaurants are offering the sumptuous meal that includes at least 11 dishes.

K. Kumar, convenor of The Indian Community Welfare Committee (ICWC), an initiative by the Consulate General of India, said: “Dubai probably has the longest celebrations; the organisations want all the people to participate and you would see the events start this month and would extend up to the end of next month. We will also be participating in the numerous cultural events which are being organised by different Kerala organisations.”