I grew up in Bahrain, so all my memories of Onam are of celebrating it there, and not in Kerala. In fact, after I came down to Kerala, I did not get an opportunity to celebrate it the way I used to as a child in Bahrain.

I feel Onam is celebrated in a more traditional way and with passion there than in Kerala. We used to have the traditional Kerala dress but I don't see anyone wearing that here.

I somehow feel that Keralites living in Kerala have forgotten how to celebrate Onam the traditional way. I have heard people in Bahrain say that you get good plantain leaves only in the Gulf and not in Kerala.

We used to have pookkalam on all the ten days starting from Atham. All of us kids -- both Malayalis and non-Malayalis -- used to have a huge pookkalam in front of the apartment block where we stayed. In the evening, we used to have cultural programs too.

Similarly, sadya was served in the big hall and every resident was invited. My mother used to buy everything including plantain leaves much in advance.

Another great thing about the Onam of my childhood in Bahrain was that all of us friends including north Indians and Muslims used to join together and have sadya in the afternoon. Every festival is celebrated like this, which I don't see in Kerala and I miss it.

Ever since I left Bahrain after my 12th standard, I have not celebrated Onam the way I used to in Bahrain. My college days were in Bangalore, and we never had holidays for Onam. Now, after I started acting, I shoot on Onam day too.

I do miss Onam. In fact, I started missing home food too as most of the time I am not at home. So, what we do is, these days we have advance Onam or post-Onam celebrations. When we are together, my father says, let us have an Onam sadya today! So, Onam is at our convenience.

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