UAE Malayalees celebrate Onam, the festival of equality, oneness

sharjah — Thousands of Malayali expats in the UAE on Monday joined their counterparts across the world to celebrate Onam, one of the traditional festivities in the tiny South Indian state.

Known as the 10-day harvest festival, Onam has now become a two or three-day festivities for the Malayalees. In the cosmopolitan ambience of the UAE, Onam has broken all cultural barriers and expat communities come together and wish each other ‘Happy Onam’.

As Onam came a day after Eid holidays, majority took a leave to stay back at home and celebrate Onam with their families and friends. Hotels were packed with residents who hung out with their non-Malayalee friends who tried the lavish vegetarian feast served on a fresh banana leaves and has to eaten with hands, not spoons and forks!

The expat community, in tune with the myth behind Onam, proved it is indeed a festival cutting across all religion, races and communities. Meet Sukumaran Sudarshanan from Thiruvananthapuram and Sithyniyakah Sudarshanan ‘Roji’ from Colombo. He is a Hindu and she is a Muslim. The couple met in Sharjah and it was love at first sight for them.

“I am from a Colombo Muslim family. We got married in 1997 and are celebrating our 20th Onam now. We mark all festivals with equal fervour,” Sithyniyakah said.

Every Onam means trying out different delicacies of the Lankan Malays, a tiny ethnic community of Sri Lanka. “I was a Lankan but now a complete Malayali. I can cook almost all Kerala dishes but make it a point to add an element of Lankan flavour to our celebrations. This year, we have ‘kazhiya’ (eggplants and potatoes are the main ingredients) and ‘watalappam’ (coconut custard pudding) as dessert,” Sithyniyakah said.

The couple’s two children — Salomiya and Adithya — gleefully helped their mother with the sadya preparations from 5am onwards.

“Onam is a harvest festival, celebrated by one and all. My wife is a testimony to Onam being a secular festival. We have lavish Onam and Eid celebrations with more than 50 friends and family members coming together. I eagerly look forward to celebrating all festivals every year,” Sudarshanan added.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com (with inputs from Ashwani Kumar)

Onam is a harvest festival and can be celebrated by one and all. She is a Muslim and I am a Hindu. My wife is a testimony to Onam being a secular festival.” Sukumaran Sudarshanan, Sharjah resident

— Photos by Shihab and Juidin Bernarrd Children in traditional attires design a floral carpet at their home to celebrate the Onam festival.

Sukumaran with his family ready for the Onasadya. (RIght) A resident leaves with takeaway lunch kits on Thiruvonam day in Dubai.

Non-Keralites enjoy Onasadya, a meal with more than 30 condiments , at a restaurant in Dubai.