Onam in Dubai - feasts flowers and fun
Onam in Dubai is a fabulous cultural event and like many festivals across all faiths celebrates the harvest!
Onam in Dubai -What it's all about
Onam is Kerala’s biggest festival; a harvest celebration built around the story of King Mahabali, a ruler of the Asuras and grandson of Prahlada, one of Vishnu’s most devoted followers.
Mahabali ruled with such fairness that his reign is remembered as a golden age of equality and prosperity for everyone under him.
Every year King Mahabali returns to earth to see his people are still thriving.
Overall, the celebration of Onam commemorates the return once a year of the good king Mahabali to Kerala in South India.
It’s celebrated by Malayalis of every faith, marked by flower carpets (pookalam), boat races, tiger dances and, above all, a spectacular feast.
How to celebrate Onam in Dubai
Dubai’s huge Malayali community brings Onam to life across the city with Pulikali tiger dances! Performers painted head-to-toe as tigers, dance through a mock hunt and Chenda Melam drumming (a thunderous, escalating percussion performance on traditional cylindrical drums) at malls and community events.
There are also pookalam flower displays, and banana-leaf sadhya feasts on restaurant menus all over town.
The easiest way in? Book yourself an Onam sadhya meal and dive in.
Where can I try an Onam Sadhya meal in Dubai?
Is it only available at South Indian restaurants? Onam is associated with southern India, but restaurants specialising in all kinds of Indian food are getting in on the Onam act – from budget Kerala canteens to five-star hotel dining rooms across the city, everyone’s laying out the banana leaf plates for this celebratory, lavish feast.
Even Punjab Grill (from Northern India) at the Anantara is doing a special Onam meal that was my pick for Monica Selects for August.
Missed out on Onam Sadhya
Still craving that banana-leaf spread and missed Onam Sadhya? Find more South Indian and regional thali meals around Dubai in our very popular Thali Meals in Dubai post here.
Want to find out more about Onam traditions? See this informative cultural page.
