DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Kerala’s Malayali community across the UAE is preparing for an unusual Onam season this year, with the traditional Atham-to-Thiruvonam countdown stretching across 11 calendar days instead of 10.
The change is linked to the Malayalam calendar and the way festival dates are determined using nakshatras, or star positions. While Onam traditionally follows 10 star days from Atham to Thiruvonam, one of the stars spans two calendar dates this year.
Atham began on Aug. 16, while Visakham falls across Aug. 19 and 20. As a result, Thiruvonam, the main day of Onam, falls on Aug. 26, creating an 11-day calendar sequence.
The unusual pattern is expected to add another talking point to celebrations among Malayali families, community groups and cultural organisations across the UAE.
A festival deeply rooted in the diaspora
Onam is Kerala’s major harvest festival and is traditionally associated with the return of the mythical King Mahabali, whose reign is remembered in popular tradition as a period of prosperity, equality and abundance.
For Malayalis living outside Kerala, the festival has become an important way of maintaining cultural connections while bringing younger generations into the community’s traditions.
Pookkalams, traditional clothing, Onam sadhya, Thiruvathira performances, music and family gatherings are among the customs being carried into homes, schools, community halls, shopping centres and other public spaces across the UAE.
The festival also has a strong community dimension, with celebrations often continuing beyond Thiruvonam as organisations and families arrange gatherings on different weekends.
Kerala traditions meet UAE identity
One noticeable trend this year is the blending of Kerala’s traditional festive style with symbols of life in the UAE.
Retailers catering to the Malayali community are offering traditional outfits featuring UAE landmarks, including the Burj Khalifa and the Museum of the Future.
The designs reflect a cultural reality shared by many members of the diaspora: Kerala remains their ancestral home, while the UAE has become their workplace, community and second home.
Traditional set sarees, Kerala shirts and mundu are also expected to remain popular during the celebrations, with families coordinating outfits for gatherings and photographs.
Onam sadhya supplies head to Gulf markets
The preparations extend well beyond homes and community venues.
Demand for ingredients used in the traditional vegetarian sadhya has prompted special supply arrangements from Kerala, with fresh vegetables, coconuts, banana leaves and other seasonal products being transported to Gulf markets.
Lulu Group said it is arranging the movement of more than 2,500 tonnes of fresh perishables and Onam-related food products to Gulf markets. A chartered flight from Kochi to Abu Dhabi carried about 50 tonnes of produce on Aug. 18, with another 60-tonne shipment scheduled for Aug. 20.
Additional supplies are being transported through regular passenger services to other Gulf destinations.
The movement of seasonal produce highlights the scale of demand created by Onam across the region, where Kerala-origin food products form an important part of the annual celebrations.
Public celebrations expand across the UAE
Onam is also becoming increasingly visible beyond Malayali homes and community halls.
Shopping centres and hypermarkets are hosting cultural programmes and temporary marketplaces featuring Kerala clothing, food, handicrafts and other festive products.
In Dubai, BurJuman has scheduled Onam activities through Aug. 29, including cultural performances and a pookkalam competition with prizes and gifts worth Dh18,000.
Performances of Thiruvathira and Mohiniyattam, along with Chendamelam percussion, are among the traditional arts being featured during the celebrations.
Such programmes have helped make Onam part of the UAE’s wider multicultural calendar, bringing Kerala’s traditions to audiences beyond the Malayali community.
Celebrations continue into September
For many UAE residents from Kerala, Aug. 26 will not mark the end of the Onam season.
Community organisations frequently schedule larger gatherings after Thiruvonam, allowing families and friends to participate around work and school commitments.
Several major community events are also planned for September, with Malayalam film personalities expected to take part in celebrations at Sharjah Expo Centre.
The extended programme reflects the way Onam has evolved within the UAE diaspora: from a single festival day into a wider season of community gatherings, cultural performances, family activities and social events.
For UAE Malayalis, the extra calendar day in 2026 is therefore more than a quirk of the Malayalam calendar. It gives a community already preparing weeks in advance another reason to celebrate its heritage, strengthen social ties and share Kerala’s traditions with the wider UAE.
