Indian expats usher in new year in traditional ways
Indian expatriate communities, from different states across the country celebrated their traditional New Year in the UAE on Sunday with slightly varied traditions.
Malayalees, Tamilians, Bengalis, Assamese and Tuluvas celebrated Vishu, Puthandu, Poila Baisakh, Bohag Bihu, and Bisu Parba respectively on April 14, while Telugus, Maharashtrians, Sikhs and Kashmiris celebrated Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi and Navreh respectively a few days ago.
This year, the traditional New Year coincided with the long Eid break in the UAE.
Retail outlets, flower vendors and restaurants reported a flood of inquiries for food and religious paraphernalia from Indian families across the country, Khaleej Times has learnt. Meanwhile, temples in Dubai and Abu Dhabi recorded serpentine queues.
Dubai resident Madhulika Chatterjee prepared a sumptuous Bengali meal on the occasion. With her children and husband all home this year, she tried to make the most of Poila Baisakh.
“What's Poila Baisakh without new clothes, binge eating and evening soirées? But I am focusing on some good family time instead, by preparing an authentic Bengali lunch with the ultimate ‘notun gur er payesh', a dessert made with jaggery,” she added.
“The Bengali New Year usually falls on April 14 or April 15. So, today (Sunday) after the morning prayers at home, I started preparing chingri maach er malai curry,( prawn curry in coconut milk) pulao (rice), and other delicacies. This year my son is visiting us from the UK so we can spend good family time together.”
For the members of the Sikh community and Punjabis, Baisakhi is a festival symbolising the new harvest season and the beginning of the solar New Year. Invoking the spirit of Baisakhi, Dubai-based Punjabis celebrated the festival in unique ways with their loved ones.
Arti Trehan says it's a time when she feels nostalgic.
“I just returned from India so I am still in that zone. Baisakhi this year was observed on April 13. However, in 2024, the festival also coincides with Navratri. So, the food prepared this year is a little different. I prepared kheer, aloo sabzi and pumpkin which are mostly, yellow in colour. Yellow and orange are the traditional colours of Baisakhi,” she said.
She explained when Baisakhi is celebrated in Punjab that means the golden yellow wheat fields are ready to be harvested. “Usually, I prepare the traditional sweet rice ( meethe peele chawal) at home but this year I have prepared sabudana dishes and other traditional delicacies instead. Since Baisakhi and Navratri are coinciding, therefore, I've prepared primarily yellow- coloured Navratri food,” Trehan added.
Similarly, Vinod Panicker, who has been a Dubai resident for the past 20 years, said he takes pride in maintaining a tradition that he hopes he has managed to pass on to his children.
“We follow a tradition called Vishu Kani that is observed in Kerala. Late on Saturday, my wife arranged the kani in front of the idol of Lord Krishna. The kani items included coconut, ‘kanni konna' (yellow flowers), coins, currency notes, white dhoti, rice, lemon, cucumber, jackfruit, mirror, kajal and a sacred book. According to the ritual, members of the family wake up at sunrise and see the Vishu Kani as the first thing of the day. My children love this tradition and I hope they continue with these practices. These festivals come from our glorious past and rich cultures which are getting lost over time. We must try and preserve them,” Panicker said.
For Bhavya Rao, who is from Mangalore, Bisu Parba is a New Year and harvest festival of Tulunadu. It marks the first day of Paggu, which is the first month of the Tulu calendar. Rao said: “Back home it's an important festival. However, here in Dubai since we are away from our extended family, I celebrated it with my immediate family which includes my husband and two daughters. We wore traditional outfits. I prepared a sumptuous festive lunch with many vegetarian dishes and served on a banana leaf as per tradition. We thoroughly enoyed ourselves”.