Mayor of Sleaford guest of honour as Indian community celebrate their harvest festival

The harvest festival-style celebration was held on Saturday, August 29 at Heckington Village Hall.

President of the association, Nitin Noble, explained that Onam is one of the most important cultural festivals of the Kerala state of India, and brought together members of the Indian community, local organisations, friends and well-wishers for a day of traditional festivities, cultural performances and a traditional Onam lunch.

The local members shared their culture, traditions and spirit of the Indian community in Sleaford as they also welcomed Rotary Club members too.

The Mayor was invited to light the traditional lamps at the start of the event and was gifted a special robe.

He said: “I don’t know much the festival but I am delighted to be here and look forward to learning more about their culture and religion.”

Nitin explained that Onam is mainly celebrated in southern India where the devotion of one of their historic kings to the god Vishnu is celebrated.

During the celebration there was a visit by someone dressed as the king, before members launched into ethnic dance and music performances.

Nitin explained that the Sleaford Kerala Association was formed just three years ago for people from Kerala to get together, but this has recently widened to take in all parts of India.

He said Kerala has one of the highest levels of literacy in the country, equal to Europe, and a high percentage of Indian doctors working in the NHS are from Kerala.

He said: “When I moved to Sleaford in 2013 there were hardly any other people from my part of the world living here but that number has grown.

"We work closely with the Rotary Club and collect books from local schools to send to a school in Kenya in the Masai Mara and we do a lot of other charitable work in the community which we are proud to call our home.

"This event is a celebration of Kerala’s heritage.”