Onam is one of the most famous and cherished festivals of India. This festival originated in the south part of India in Kerala state. Even though the Onam is an Indian festival, it is celebrated by other culture people and around the world. Wherever you find the roots of the Malayali diaspora you can feel the spirit of Onam along with their rich culture and traditional activities.Their cultural celebration has spread from the United States to the Middle East, and from Europe to Australia. People from other walks have showing great enthusiasm to celebrate Onam with their Malayali friends in terms of unity, cultural heritage, and prosperity. Even though the people of Kerala are living far from their homeland, they make sure the celebration of Onam is authentic by recreating the ambiance of traditional Kerala.
There are substantial Malayali populations around the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. They celebrate the Onam by organizing various community associations and grand events. Most of the communal and family events like beautiful creation of floral carpets which is known as "Pookalam" and other traditional activities like "Thiruvathira" and preparations of grand feast "Onam Sadya". The Sadya is a famous Kerala vegetarian dishes which represents the unique culinary heritage of Kerala region and the traditional part of the Sadya is, all the vegetarian dishes are served in a traditional banana leaf. These events and cultural activities are a major opportunity to connect with their community, network, and share their cultural heritage with other walks of people and importantly to pass these traditions and customs to the future generations.
Even countries like Germany, Singapore, and South Africa have covered smaller Malayali populations. They celebrate the Onam with heartfelt passion by decorating their homes, working place, and social public places. Keralites invite other community people to explore and taste the traditional food of Kerala by preparing the vegetarian dishes, sweets and snacks. Many places, like Indian restaurants and Indian cultural communities, organize Onam based events and cultural activities for those people who are away from their homeland. With the help of these organizations Kerala people and other cultures people can feel the aura of Onam. To connect the communities worldwide to share the celebration, tools like social media and virtual platforms are playing a crucial role in spreading the essence of Onam festival.
By celebrating Onam around the globe by Keralites and other communities, make it a global celebration. Cultural festivals like Onam always unite people across the borders with tradition, values, and expressions of culture. It doesn't matter about the diverse cultural landscape, the Onam festival always continues to symbolize harmony and gratitude. It's a beautiful reminder that, Malayalis always carry a piece of Kerala in their hearts.
1. United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the celebration of Onam has grown significantly over the years with a large Malayali community. Onam celebrations in the UK are culturally different from the traditional practice. We can see the fusion of British context more on traditional feasts, particularly in the "Sadya" feast. This sadya feast is a famous and iconic practice of Onam celebration. The central feature of sadya is the usage of authentic ingredients to prepare a perfect vegetarian meal and served in a clean banana leaf. But often this traditional feast is modified with the availability of local ingredients in the UK. Even the floral decorations called Pookalam are a most iconic and essential practice of Onam. But this practice is adapted to fit in smaller spaces, and the flowers that are used to decorate are chosen with the local availability.
In the UK, other cultural activities like Onam-themed skits and Thiruvathira dances (arangetram) are organized with the help of the Kerala community to promote and preserve the rich cultural heritage of Kerala.
2. United States
In the United States, Onam is celebrated with the large Malayali community and other Indian diaspora. Here we can find the blend of tradition and modern elements in the Onam celebration. Most of Kerala's elaborated celebrations are adapted to fit with the local context; in result of this, it shows the simplified version of Onam sadhya and other traditional activities like dance, songs, and community gatherings. Onam elements like Pookalam and traditional attire are maintained authentically, though the celebration adapted to the local resources.
Even though the decorations and events are scaled as smaller versions, this festival shows the significance of cultural gatherings and to celebrate their heritage.
3. Canada
In Canada, Onam is celebrated with more enthusiasm with a large community of Malayali diaspora, particularly in the cities like Toronto and Vancouver. The celebration of Onam in Canada are adopted with multicultural context of society.
The Onam celebration in Canada often included with community dinners, cultural games and sports events. The traditional practices like Pookalam, Sadhya, and cultural dances are shown to other community people to feel and experience the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. This festival became an opportunity for community gatherings and to create a unique blend of old and new.
4. United Arab Emirates (UAE)
In the UAE, Onam is celebrated in places like community centers or even in some workplaces. This festival is celebrated with more enthusiasm and cultural essence by Kerala people. Other religious and Indian community people are invited to take part in this great occasion by conducting traditional cultural rituals. They celebrate the festival with the traditional practice of "Pookalam" and a traditional "Sadhya feast". In UAE, the celebration of Onam won't differ much when it is compared with the traditional celebration. The cultural performances like "Kathakali" and "Pulikali" dances are modified and adapted to the local culture as well as the resources available in the UAE. Still, the core of the Onam celebration always remains the same for the people of Kerala.
5. Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the celebration of Onam is nothing compared with Kerala, because the Onam is majorly celebrated by the Tamil community. The traditional differences like sadhya, the vegetarian feast is simplified with fewer dishes, the Pookalam decorations are more modest, and cultural performances are not elaborate as in Kerala. But, still the festival is conducted with the essence of family gatherings and communities to share the meals and the joy of Onam.
In conclusion, Onam is a celebration of harvest and mythological stories. Apart from the tradition, Onam is celebrated across the border. Whether it is South Indian communities or the Sri Lankan diaspora, it always reflects the rich culture and traditional practice of Onam celebration. The celebration of Onam shows the cultural richness with its unique pooja essentials and specific vibrant flowers for Pookalam. The festival is filled with unique sweets, snacks, fruits and vegetables, along with the iconic feast Onam Sadhya, which is a selected vegetable dish to represent the Onam festival. The celebration might vary due to cultural differences in other countries, but still we are trying to get the spirit of our own cultural celebration wherever we are. For the people who are residing in the UK, they can purchase their Onam festival products at Budget Mart UK to celebrate the Onam in their own traditional way. So, enjoy this Onam with your families and also make the opportunity for other communities to feel and explore the rich culture of Kerala.
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