Thousands of Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) from India will gather at community centres across the UAE tomorrow to enjoy special feasts and celebrate Onam.
Keralites in Abu Dhabi and its suburbs have began celebrating the harvest festival from Monday, when South Indian restaurants served up lunches with up to 26 vegetarian Onam items set on banana leaves.
The price of the platters varied from Dh18 to Dh22 in local restaurants. It was brisk business for the restaurants on Monday and many customers were disappointed due to lack of space and shortage of food. Most premises were jam-packed and take-away and home-delivery orders were at their peak.
Some restaurants offered special bargains for families and groups. According to them business was not as good as previous years as the festival fell on a working day and schools had opened.
However, those who missed the Onam lunch will have the opportunity tomorrow when the local social and community centres host massive feasts to mark the annual harvest.
The biggest feast will be held at Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam, where about 1,500 people will gather to enjoy a set of 23 Kerala specialities decorated on banana leaves.
According to the Samajam, the number of people could top 1,500 as they have received a large number of inquiries. Kerala Social Centre (KSC) will also have a similar feast tomorrow, likely to be attended by about a 1,000 people. The centre has prepared a lunch set of 28 items. The India Social Centre (ISC) has also prepared a feast for about 1,200 people.
Among the biggest bargains on Monday was the one by Favourite Restaurant on Jawazat Street. The restaurant sold 780 meals, took 600 home delivery orders and served 180 in-house meals. According to its owner, more than 100 in-house customers had to return without meal due to shortage of space and food.
The restaurant offered a 25-item set of pure vegetarian food and special Onam sweets. The price for an in-house meal was Dh20, while take-aways and home delivery lunch was sold for Dh22. A normal lunch set at the joint is sold for around Dh5.
Another restaurant, Southern Wood, behind Hamdan Street, reported good business. However, the owner, Nellai Subbiah Ravi, said business was not as good as last year as the festival fell on a weekday. But he said the response was good.
The restaurant offered a set of 26 royal vegetable items. The in-house meal was offered for Dh18 while take-away and delivery service were priced at around Dh20.
Similarly, supermarkets and vegetable shops in Abu Dhabi also did good business. The MK Group imported exclusive Onam food products and flowers from Kerala for the festival, increasing its daily sales.
The imported items included chillies, a variety of pickles, banana and banana leaves, drumsticks, ginger, pumpkin, beans, curry leaves and curry powders.
Small shops in local markets also had better business than normal. They were crowded by Keralite families for Onam shopping. The most sought-after goods were fresh vegetables and fruits imported from Kerala.
Indian community members from the southern Indian state continued to enjoy special feasts as part of the festival in Sharjah.
While various Indian Associations in the UAE organise special programmes to mark the event, restaurants in the country also take the opportunity to earn hefty profits by offering special Onam feasts.
Supermarkets catering specially to the Indian community also cash in on the event as they offer special sales on flowers, vegetables, clothes and other items especially acquired from Kerala for the harvest festival.
"We had good business on Onam day on Monday as our restaurant was full with customers the whole day. We offer special Onam meals at a very reasonable price, ranging from Dh9 per person to Dh15," said a manager of an Indian restaurant.
He said some restaurants do raise prices for the Onam feast, but there are many options and people can choose the restaurant according to their budget.
A weekend chok-a-block with celebrations
Onam, the principal festival of Kerala, is celebrated against a setting of lush green vegetation. This picturesque harvest festival brings ten days of colour feasting, boat races, song and dance to the Indian state. In the UAE, the Keralite community keeps busy with cultural programmes and special Onam feasts. Following are the schedules for some of them:
- The Indian Association Sharjah has planned a two-day celebration for today and Friday, including a cultural programme on the theme of Onam. R.C. Kathuria, regional manager of Indian Airlines, Sharjah, will inaugurate the events. Renowned singers Biju Narayanan and Sabnam will perform.
- A floral arrangement competition for women will be held at Sharjah Indian School tomorrow from 7am. A grand Onam feast will also be served to members and their families at the school premises. Indian Consul-General in Dubai Y.K. Sinha will be the chief guest.
- Indian Association Ajman will organise a grand Onam festival on September 19 at the Jewel Palace Auditorium in Ajman. M.G. Sreekumar, a well-known singer from Kerala, and other Indian and local artists will perform. A grand feast will also be served to the guests.
- The Kerala Social Centre in Abu Dhabi has chalked out cultural shows and traditional performances today. There will also be a floral arrangement competition, selecting five best designs.
- The Association of Mar Ivanlos College Old Students, Thiruvananthapuram (AMICOS), will mark AKCAF Onam celebrations with a grand Onasadya and a day-long cultural extravaganza tomorrow at Al Nasr Leisureland.
Noted Malayalam film industry artistes will attend.
- The Indian Social Centre, Al Ain, will hold special celebrations at their auditorium with traditional folklore this morning. A traditional Onam lunch has been arranged for tomorrow.
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