The Association of Rugby Malayalees (ARM) brought the vibrant spirit of Kerala to Rugby with its Onam’26 celebrations on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The day-long celebration, which began at 10am, brought together families and members of the Malayalee community for a programme featuring cultural activities, traditional games, food, music and entertainment.
A major attraction of the celebrations was the live performance by professional singer and performing artist Muhammad Niyas, who added a lively musical dimension to the Onam festivities.
Niyas, an experienced vocalist who has performed extensively in both India and the UK, has established himself on the UK Malayalee cultural circuit through performances at community festivals, association programmes, live music nights and independent shows. His repertoire includes Malayalam popular music, Ganamela and orchestra formats, as well as ghazal-oriented performances.
His performance at the Rugby Onam celebrations was particularly well received, bringing the audience together through familiar Malayalam songs and an energetic stage presence. Niyas has performed at numerous UK events in recent years, including programmes in London, Liverpool, Watford, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Southall, Telford, Leicester and other centres.
His UK performance journey includes appearances alongside established artists such as Franco Simon, Delsy Ninan, Ajmal Muhammed, Shyam Prasad, Durga Viswanath, Kollam Shafi and Athul Narukara. He has also developed his own shows, including Musical Night with Niyas in Northampton and an Onam celebration in Watford.
The event also featured the Mayor of Rugby, Councillor Nooria Sayani as Chief Guest, underlining the association’s links with the wider local community. An outside performer provided additional live songs and dance entertainment.
The colourful Onam setting, with pookkalam, traditional Kerala imagery, lamps and festive decorations, added to the atmosphere of the occasion.
With performers such as Muhammad Niyas bringing contemporary live music together with the familiar sounds of Kerala, ARM Onam’26 combined tradition, music and community spirit in a memorable celebration of Kerala culture in Rugby.
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