Muscat: Onam is the 'Harvest Festival of the south Indian state of Kerala and expatriate Indians in Oman, especially from the south of India, are celebrating Thiruvonam (the final day from the 10 days of Onam) with traditional floral decorations on the floor, elaborate feast and people wearing the authentic golden threaded sarees and dhotis across the breadth and width of the Sultanate.
Meanwhile, various retail outlets reported brisk business on the day of Uthrada Pachil, a Malayalam term for the last-minute shopping or the frenzy of shopping on the day before Thiruvonam, the main day of the Onam festival. It refers to the final rush to buy everything needed for the Onam feast (Onasadya), new clothes, and decorations, with people bustling in markets, malls, and even online shopping platforms until late night.
“We witnessed heavy rush of people wanting fresh flowers, vegetables, copperware, and other provisions for Onam celebrations and we are happy that we were able to cater to the increasing demand for all during the annual festive season,” said Naushad of Amana shopping on Rex road that sold exclusive Onam goods.
Hotels and restaurants became abuzz with people celebrating Onam while many families are celebrating Onam with their close relatives with traditional floral carpet and delicious meals at homes cherishing the childhood memories.
A delicious 'sadya', an extensive lunch with scores of side dishes, is served on a banana leaf platter, from forenoon till evening and are arranged on a prebooking basis.
This is the time that various organisations as well as corporates make most of the celebrations and make efforts to network and build relations with new clients as well as cementing the connections with the existing customers.
“This is the time to build bonds and nurture camaradeire with the fellow beings and we make use of it by organising a two-day event for Onam for our members as well as non-members,” said Sreekumar, president of Palakkad Friends which hosts a delicious feast at the Al Falaj on Friday. Known luminaries like Aparna Das, Deepak Parambol and Lakshmi Gopalaswami will make their presence felt at the Onam celebrations. Along with Palakkad Friends, various associations and under the umbrella of Indian Social Club (ISC) and other NGOs are organising festivities and cultural celebrations which culminate in the delicious 'Onam Sadya', which is also a treat made of vegetables that accompany traditional rice on the plantain leaf.
Onam, known as the 'Harvest Festival of Kerala' is a day of memories in abundance and most of them are connected to childhood days. As the myth aptly indicates an era of sweet memories, people rejoice those days of their days with their dear and near ones.
On the tenth day of of the Malayalam month 'Chingam' is the "Thiruvonam, which is a combination of myths, folklore and traditions and one of the great occasions where Malayalis rejoice together and reaffirm the values of harmony and coexistence.
Many Omani citizens with their families join their expat fraternity in celebrating the feast festival at the hotels as well last their homes.
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