Visit & Vibes

It was that time of year again—Onam was fast approaching, and one of my friends was helping to organize a celebration at a church in Cambuslang. I had the chance to celebrate Onam with friends two years ago, and it was a fascinating experience, especially learning to eat with my hands, which was something completely new to me! If you’d like to read more about my experience, you can check out the full post by clicking the link here.

The event venue was packed with many Malayalees, all gathered to celebrate this wonderful cultural festival. Everyone was dressed smartly or in traditional attire, creating a vibrant and beautiful atmosphere. It was a wonderful sight. I attended with the same close friend as before, and we also met another friend and his family.

We were treated to a wonderful variety of performances, ranging from traditional dances to more modern ones, as well as some group acts. My friend even performed in a few of the traditional dances, and she was absolutely amazing! It was great to come along, support her, and celebrate this event with her once again.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the performances and absolutely loved watching the dancing.

I have to admit, I was a little envious because I’ve always wanted to be able to dance, and everyone on stage made it look so natural and effortless.

This Onam celebration was one of the best traditional events I’ve ever attended—it truly stood out as a highlight for me.

The Sadhya

This was the part I was a little nervous about—eating the Sadhya. The first time I tried it, I really struggled with eating by hand, which I wasn’t used to, but back then, I was up for the challenge, and again this year, I was too.

The organizers truly spoiled everyone with an abundance of food, which was great because the turnout was HUGE!

As more food was placed on my banana leaf, I started feeling a bit more nervous. But it was time to dig in, do my best, and enjoy the meal!

As expected, I did struggle a little, but I was surprisingly better than the first time! My friend had a good laugh watching me try to pick up the rice a few times.

The food was outstanding! The flavours were incredible, and the ginger curry, in particular, was amazing. I would have gone back for seconds, but it took me so long to finish what I had on my plate during the first round that I decided to play it safe.

After the meal, we were treated to more performances and dancing, making it an unforgettable event!

As I mentioned at the start of this post, this was one of the best Onam celebrations—or any Indian event—I’ve ever attended, and I can’t wait to see what the Scotland Malayalee Association has in store for 2025.

It’s important to note that all the views and opinions expressed in my blog posts and vlogs are entirely personal, have not been influenced in any way and reflect my individual perspective. I value authenticity and honesty above all, and my content is a genuine reflection of my thoughts and experiences.