Backwaters Chechie Hosts AAGHOSHAM 2026 Onam Celebration and Awards at Fairmont Mumbai
Cultural and culinary platform Backwaters Chechie hosted AAGHOSHAM 2026, an immersive Onam celebration and awards ceremony, at Fairmont in Mumbai on August 22, 2026. The event brought the traditions, cuisine, and festive spirit of Kerala to the city, featuring traditional decor, art, and festive customs.
AAGHOSHAM was jointly conceptualised and curated by Shobha Pillai Coutinho, the founder of Backwaters Chechie. The gathering marked Kerala's 10-day festival by showcasing its cultural heritage, music, performing arts, and culinary traditions to guests and visitors.
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the AAGHOSHAM Achievers Awards, which recognised prominent figures across cinema, music, entertainment, literature, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, hospitality, digital content, and public service. Singer Armaan Malik was conferred the special award, "Voice of Malayalam Music and Beyond Borders," which was accepted on his behalf by his parents, Jyothi Malik and Daboo Malik.
Other recipients of the awards included Madhoo Shah, Suchitra Pillai, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Anu Menon, Suresh Menon, and Sarla Menon. The celebration was attended by several well-known personalities, including Gautam Rode, Pankhuri Awasthy, and Gauahar Khan.
The venue at Fairmont was designed with Kerala-inspired elements, traditional decorations, and floral arrangements. The event also highlighted Kerala's culinary heritage, particularly the traditional Onam Sadya, a vegetarian feast served on banana leaves that includes dishes such as rice, sambar, avial, thoran, olan, pachadi, and payasam.
Speaking about the celebration, Shobha Pillai said, "AAGHOSHAM was born from our shared dream of bringing Keralam home through its cuisine, music, traditions, heritage and stories. It was deeply fulfilling to see our distinguished awardees, artists, partners and guests come together to experience the spirit of Kerala."
Backwaters Chechie continues to promote the heritage, customs, and genuine cuisine of Kerala through curated dining experiences, interactive events, and its cookbook Aaharam, Sadhya.
