Onam in UAE: From Karama to the desert, how residents celebrate harvest festival

Long queues of people dressed in their finest traditional clothes were seen in front of restaurants in several parts of the country as residents thronged to celebrate the Indian festival of Onam. For some, it was a chance to reunite with friends, while for others it was a memorable occasion.

For Indian expat Treesa, Onam was a family affair that she celebrated with her two sons, their friends and their spouses. Their group of over 22 people began lining up for the traditional Onam feast (Onasadhya) as early as 11:45am. “These boys were schoolmates and have known each other for over 20 years,” said Treesa. “They are all like my children. Every year we try to get together for special occasions. This year, my eldest son just got engaged so it is a special Onam for us.”

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Photo: Nasreen Abdullah

Meanwhile, delivery riders were out and about picking up Onasadhya orders before midday. “As soon as the delivery opened, we got orders,” said one Bangladeshi national. “My first lunch order of the day is three Onasadhyas. I have never tried this meal but I know it is very popular here.”

Photo: Nasreen Abdullah

Onam is the harvest festival of the southern Indian state of Kerala. Celebrations are usually characterised by an Onasadhya consisting of over 30 varieties of dishes, pookalam (flower carpets), chenda melam (percussion using traditional Chenda drums) and a special appearance by someone dressed up as the mythical king Mahabali. Folklore has it that the king Mahabali used to rule a prosperous Kerala but was defeated and returns to the state to see his subjects every year during Onam.

Skipped breakfast

Dubai resident Reshna was early to the sadhya with her family. “We decided to skip breakfast and headed to the temple in Jebel Ali early in the morning,” she said. “On the way back, we stopped in Karama and ate at the first round of meals. We know that in the afternoon the rush was going to increase.”

Photo: Nasreen Abdullah

For Reshna’s parents-in-law, Onam in the UAE is their favourite. “They are settled in Chennai so Onam was not a big deal over there,” she said. “Here in the UAE, we get such a wide variety of Onasadhyas to choose from. There are so many events and activities. It is almost like celebrating Onam in Kerala. They really enjoyed the sadhya as well. My son Vilohit is five and this is the first year, he sat and ate a sadhya on his own. He loved it.”

Friends gathering

Although 4-year-old Ruaa and her friends Ayzel and Ayaana had no idea why Onam was celebrated, they were happy to dress in their finest clothes and accompany their parents to Malabar Tiffin House in Karama.

Photo: Nasreen Abdullah

“We wanted to come early to beat the rush as we have small children,” said Ruaa’s father Syed. He was eating the feast in a group of eight adults along with his wife and other extended family members. “It is our son Ruhan’s first Onam as well. We were not sure whether he would get cranky or no. Also, we wanted to eat and then go for Friday prayers because we know that afterwards it would get really busy.”

Photo: Nasreen Abdullah

Another person who wanted to beat the rush was Pooja, who stopped briefly to buy glass bangles to match her outfit before heading for lunch. “Onam is special and we always dress our best for it,” she said. “I bought the bangles and now I am headed to lunch with my family. Our booking is at 12, but I am sure we will have to wait for a while, so we are hurrying to the restaurant.”

Onam in the desert

Meanwhile, several associations and clubs are planning to continue Onam celebrations throughout the weekend and rest of the month. A group of desert driving enthusiasts are planning to take their Onam celebrations to the desert on Saturday for the second year in a row.

2024 Onam desert celebration. Photo: Manju Sreekumar

“Last year, we wore traditional clothes and took our four-wheel drives to the desert,” said member Manju Sreekumar. “We even had a special appearance by Mahabali. This year, we are planning an even bigger celebration.”

Dubai-based artist Jyo John Mulloor used AI to reimagine the Burj Khalifa surrounded by a vibrant floral carpet in celebration of Onam. Take a look:

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