The sights, sounds and flavours of Kerala came alive in Singapore on Sept 6 as the Singapore Malayalee Association (SMA) turned its annual Onam Village into a colourful celebration of tradition, community and multiculturalism.
From thunderous chenda beats to graceful Thiruvathira and Mohiniyattam performances, the full-day celebration brought together Malayalees and Singaporeans from different backgrounds, recreating the atmosphere and nostalgia associated with Kerala’s biggest festival.
One indication of the event’s scale was the traditional Onasadya, the elaborate vegetarian feast served on banana leaves. About 2,100 people sat down for the meal, while the organisers said there were many more visitors who did not have the sadya.
The cultural programme was equally ambitious.
The SMA Sakhi team presented a Mega Thiruvathira, while Haritha Haridas and her ensemble performed a Mega Mohiniyattam. Kerala Beats raised the energy levels with a Mega Chenda Melam, while King Mahabali – the benevolent mythical ruler whose annual homecoming is central to Onam – made his customary appearance.
Colourful flower carpets (pookalams), traditional games and community booths added to the village atmosphere, while the SMA Children’s Club presented its Scienspire exhibition, where youngsters demonstrated working science models.
Guest of Honour, Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information, Rahayu Mahzam, highlighted the “kampung spirit” of the celebrations and the way the Malayalee community preserves its heritage while sharing it with Singaporeans of different ethnicities.
That inclusiveness was also central to SMA president Sunu Sivadasan-Ghani’s message.
“Through Onam Village, our aim is to bring people together, not just the Malayalee community, but Singaporeans and friends from all communities,” she said. “We want to share our culture and traditions while also celebrating the diversity that makes Singapore special.”
The festival’s appeal beyond the Malayalee community was reflected in the experiences of first-time visitors.
Teacher, actor and emcee Victor Punithan, who attended with his wife as invited guests, said: “It was our first time at this colourful festival. From chenda beats to the sumptuous sadya feast, everything was delightful.”
For entrepreneur Manisha Kishore, who hails from North India, Onam Village provided a window into Malayalee traditions.
She particularly enjoyed the sadya, where volunteers explained the dishes and the sequence in which they are traditionally eaten.
“From the crisp banana and jaggery chips and ginger-infused accompaniment to the parippu with a generous dollop of ghee, spicy sambar and flavourful Matta rice, it was as much a cultural experience as a culinary one,” she said.
She also praised the group songs and dances for their “infectious enthusiasm” and pride in Kerala’s traditions.
The celebration also looked back at those who helped build the community. Five pioneers were honoured for their contributions across different fields.
NUS Senior Lecturer, Sandhya Singh, described SMA’s 109 years as “a living legacy of resilience, unity and generations who built a strong and vibrant community”, noting that the festival featured professional artistes, community members and migrant domestic workers.
For SMA, Onam Village was therefore about more than recreating a Kerala festival thousands of kilometres from home.
Amid the chenda beats, dancing, banana-leaf meals and Mahabali’s presence, it showed how a community can preserve its roots while sharing them with Singapore’s wider multicultural society.
