14/08/2025
Today we came together as one and embraced Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and belonging with our family from Kerala, India and embraced their heritage and traditions, as part of 'South Asian Heritage Month'.
We shared the celebration of Onam, a beautiful festival from the state of Kerala in India. Onam is a harvest festival, celebrated every year around August or September, and it lasts for ten days.
It is a time of joy, unity, and tradition. People decorate their homes with Pookkalam – colourful floral designs on the ground. Delicious vegetarian feasts called Onam Sadhya are served on banana leaves, with many different dishes. There are also boat races, traditional dances, games, and music.
Onam is also linked to a legend about King Mahabali, a kind and generous ruler. It is believed that during Onam, he visits Kerala to see his people, so everyone celebrates to welcome him.
Even far from Kerala, Malayalis (people from Kerala) around the world celebrate Onam with the same love and togetherness. It reminds us that no matter where we are, we can share our culture and make everyone part of the celebration.
Thank you everyone who made this day so special