One of Bahrain’s largest expatriate communities is coming together this month to celebrate its iconic harvest festival.
Organised by the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS), this year’s celebration of Onam will take place across 44 days, drawing the Malayali diaspora from across the region and beyond.
“The Onam celebration is the biggest and longest event on our annual calendar, and we make sure that every year it shines brighter,” said BKS president PV Radhakrishna Pillai.
Celebrated primarily by those from the Indian state of Kerala, Onam honours the legendary King Mahabali, whose reign symbolised prosperity, equality and unity.
For Keralites living abroad, the festival represents a ‘homecoming of the heart’, and according to the BKS, the celebrations in Bahrain are ‘the largest and longest’ abroad.
The celebrations kicked off on August 22 with Pilleronam, a children’s event featuring chain dances, skits, a grand procession and a traditional feast, followed by the Maharuchi Mela Food Festival on August 29.
Preparations for this year’s celebration began as early as May, with rehearsals, planning meetings and elaborate decorations including traditional arches and ornamented elephants, according to BKS general secretary Varghese Karakkal.
The official flag hoisting on Tuesday marked the formal start of Onam at BKS.
This year’s programme features a wide array of cultural and sporting events, including tug-of-war competitions, folk-dance contests, tribute concerts, traditional song competitions and musical performances by renowned artists such as KS Chithra.
Other highlights include a flower carpet competition, Payasam (a Keralite dessert) contest, Thiruvathira group dance, traditional games, kabaddi tournament and fusion music concerts.
Special events will also include the initiation of children into learning in a special ‘Vidyarambham’ ceremony on October 2, guided by Indian civil servant, Indian Administrative Service officer and writer Dr Divya S Iyer.
The month-and-a-half-long festivities will culminate on October 3 with the traditional Onasadhya feast, featuring more than 32 authentic Kerala dishes served to more than 6,000 attendees by celebrity chef Pazhayidam Mohanan Namboothiri and his team.
This year’s organising committee is being led by Varughese George who, alongside more than 250 dedicated members, has curated ‘a festival where tradition, nostalgia, art and unity merge to create a cultural spectacle that is cherished by all who witness it’.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- Today (September 4): Tug-of-war competition.
- Tomorrow (September 5): Thiruvonam tribute to P Jayachandran Ganamela by Pandalam Balan, Ravi Sankar and Prameela with special guest Ravi Menon.
- Saturday (September 6): Indian folk dance.
- Sunday (September 7): Onappudava competition.
- Monday (September 8): Entertainment wing programme.
- Tuesday (September 9): Onappattu vompetition.
- Wednesday (September 10): Ente Keralam quiz competition.
- September 11: Ganamela by Star Singer fame Anusree, Nanda, Balram and Srirag.
- September 12: Pookkalam competition and Ganamela by KS Chithra, Madhu Balakrishnan, Nishad and Anamika.
- September 13: Payasam competition and Thiruvathira contest.
- September 14: Indian traditional costume fashion show.
- September 15: Aaravam folk songs by Maram Band.
- September 16: Nadan Kalikal traditional indoor games.
- September 17: Nadan Kalikal (continued).
- September 18: Kabaddi traditional sport competition.
- September 19: Violin concert by Ganga Sasidharan.
- September 20: Cinematic dance competition.
- September 21: Sitar music fusion fiesta.
- September 25: Vindhyavali musical dance drama.
- September 26: Band performance by Arya Dayal and Sachin Warrier.
- September 27: Mega Thiruvathira.
- October 2: Vidyarambham ceremony by Dr Divya S Iyer.
- October 3: Onam Sadya traditional feast prepared by Pazhayidam Mohanan Namboothiri.
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