Festivities continue in country ... 10 days after Onam

Abu Dhabi - It was a music and dance show led by Layam Kalakshethram.

Onam festivities continued in the Capital, with the Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) organising a 'Ponnonam' event on Thursday night
The blend of comedy and music - two ingredients that will ensure the success of any event for Malayalees - saw the programme become a huge success.
The guest of honour was Malayalam film music composer Mohan Sithara. He was felicitated by ISC president M. Thomas Varghese.
Kerala comedy stars Ramesh Pisharody, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Subi Suresh and team tickled the funny bones of one and all. Singers Sithara Krishnakumar, Vivekanandan and others enthralled the capacity crowd.
ISC building is among the largest in the Gulf, but such was the attendance that guests were standing on the benches to catch a glimpse of their stars.
Mohan Sithara rolled back the years with 'Kaalame Ninakku Abhinandanam'. Sithara showed her range with hit songs, including 'Mere Dholna Sun' from the movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa. She engaged the crowd, who egged her for more.
Vivekanandan was his gracious self and had everyone in tears when he started with a song from a Kalabhavan Mani movie. "I can't believe he is not with us anymore," he said about the actor who died in March this year.
The comedy skits had everyone in splits. A skit based on an expat family in the Gulf was well received.
The ISC organised a 12-women thiruvathirakali (traditional Kerala dance).
The exhaustive spread was rounded up with Vivekanandan playing on request through his violin.
Separately, Pranam UAE and Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam held a 'Vande Mataram' event to mark Eid and Onam festival at the National Theatre.
It was a music and dance show led by Layam Kalakshethram.
About 150 children, including 30 from Kerala, took part in the show. More than 30 dances were performed on the night covering various states of India.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com