Coronavirus: Free Meals Given To 1,000 People As Keralities Celebrate Low-Key Vishu Festival In Dubai

The Keralites in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) marked a low-key celebration of their harvest festival Vishu on Tuesday amid the Coronavirus pandemic, a community initiative will hand out the traditional vegetarian feast called ''Sadhya'' for free to 1,000 people in Dubai

Keralites in UAE marked a low-key celebration of their harvest festival Vishu. (File Photo/ Getty)

Dubai: The festivals in India are incomplete without food. Sadhya is one such festival which is known for its elaborate meals. The term Sadhya is coined for the feast that is a part of the 10th day of the annual harvest festival Onam, which is also called ‘Onam Sadhya’. The Keralites in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) marked a low-key celebration of their harvest festival Vishu on Tuesday amid the Coronavirus pandemic, a community initiative will hand out the traditional vegetarian feast called ''Sadhya'' for free to 1,000 people in Dubai. Shanavas Mohammed, the owner of the eatery told Gulf News on Monday kits carrying the free ''Sadhya'' can be taken away by those in need from the Uppum Mulakum restaurant in Karama from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The owner said the free meal was not just his initiative, "it is a community initiative". He further added, "Though it is a Hindu festival, we Malayalis celebrate Vishu, just like we celebrate Onam irrespective of our religion. During this difficult time, we don't want anyone to miss the Vishu ''sadhya''. Keralites or not, anyone who is in need can come and collect the kit." Shanavas said the restaurant has served more than 4,000 meals through the free lunch initiative it started during the sterilization drive in Dubai. Sandhya Santhosh, a housewife in Dubai, said many Malayalis like her will be missing the ''Vishukkani'', a spread of everything auspicious including the Konna flower that they see first thing on Vishu morning. "Everyone is at home. But nobody is in a mood to celebrate," she told Gulf News. However, Lulu Group said it has managed to procure some Konna flowers "to ensure the minimum availability in the market". V. Nandakumar, Chief Communications Officer, Lulu Group stated to Gulf News, "These came along with most of the vegetables used in preparing the Kani and Vishu ''sadhya'' and the banana leaves on which the feast is served. All these came on the six aircraft we chartered to import vegetables from Kerala in the past two days".