Malayali families in the UAE can mark Vidyarambham in Dubai this Vijayadashami, with Malayala Manorama its annual first-letter ceremony on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
The programme begins at 6:30 AM at UW Mall in Al Mankhool, near BurJuman, giving families living outside Kerala a local opportunity to take part in one of the traditions associated with a child’s beginning of learning. ManoramaOnline
Registration and admission are free. ManoramaOnline
When and where?
Date: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Occasion: Vijayadashami / Vidyarambham
Time: From 6:30 AM
Venue: UW Mall, Al Mankhool, Dubai – near BurJuman
Registration: Free
Admission: Free ManoramaOnline
Because the programme begins well before UW Mall’s normal public shopping hours, families should confirm the event entrance and arrival instructions before travelling. The mall’s published regular hours begin later in the morning. UW Mall Dubai
What happens during Vidyarambham?
Vidyarambham – literally the beginning of learning – is traditionally observed on Vijayadashami and is especially associated in Kerala with introducing young children to their first letters.
At the Dubai programme, figures from the literary and cultural fields are expected to guide children through the first-letter ceremony, following Kerala’s traditional practice. ManoramaOnline
For families raising children abroad, the occasion can therefore be more than a symbolic first writing exercise.
It gives children an opportunity to encounter the ceremony in a larger community setting, surrounded by the language and cultural traditions their parents may remember from Kerala.
Children will also receive a keepsake
According to Malayala Manorama, children taking part will receive gifts as well as a certificate carrying a photograph of the child participating in the ceremony with their parents and the person guiding their first letters. ManoramaOnline
That adds a personal record to what is already an important family milestone.
Why this matters for diaspora families
Traditions such as Vidyarambham can become harder to maintain after a family moves abroad.
Some parents may arrange the ceremony privately at home, while others may plan a Kerala visit around Vijayadashami.
A community programme in Dubai offers another option.
It allows a child to experience the ritual without the family needing to travel to Kerala specifically for the occasion.
And because the programme takes place in a familiar city venue rather than requiring a pilgrimage or elaborate arrangement, it may also be accessible to families introducing the tradition to their children for the first time.
It is not only about writing the first letter
The meaning of Vidyarambham is broader than whether a child can already read or write.
The ceremony represents an intentional beginning of learning.
That is why families may mark the day even when a child has already started nursery, knows the alphabet or is learning more than one language.
For children growing up in the UAE, that can carry another layer of meaning.
Their education may happen primarily in English, Arabic or another language, while Malayalam and Kerala traditions are maintained through family and community life.
Vidyarambham can become one moment where those two worlds meet.
Before going
Families planning to attend should confirm the latest registration and event instructions, particularly:
- whether advance registration is required despite registration being free;
- the designated early-morning entrance to UW Mall;
- whether there is a recommended age range;
- whether families should bring any items for the ceremony; and
- whether arrival slots are being allocated.
Malayala Manorama’s announcement currently gives the registration/contact numbers as 04 374 8920 and 050 578 4024. ManoramaOnline
MalluMetro Take
For families living abroad, cultural traditions survive not because they remain exactly as they were in Kerala, but because people find practical ways to continue them.
A child beginning their first letters inside a Dubai mall may look very different from an older generation’s memory of Vidyarambham back home.
But the idea behind it remains familiar:
learning is important enough to deserve a beginning that families remember.
For UAE families interested in taking part, the key details are simple:
21 October · 6:30 AM · UW Mall, Dubai · free registration and admission.
Verified source: Malayala Manorama / Global Manorama, with venue details cross-checked against UW Mall’s official website. ManoramaOnline