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UAE: Frontliners, covid survivors create giant floral carpet to celebrate Onam
The floral carpet made by the staff and Covid survivors at Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi. — Supplied photo
Abu Dhabi - The floral at Burjeel Medical City was created using over 300kg of flowers.
Over 300kg of flowers were used to create a floral carpet (pookkalam) — laid out on 300sqm — by frontline healthcare workers, who worked relentlessly to fight the pandemic, along with Covid-19 survivors, at a hospital in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the spirit of Onam.
Frontliners and staff at Burjeel Medical City, the hospital which served as a dedicated Covid-19 treatment centre in the early days of Covid-19, arranged the giant carpet.
The staff started making arrangements for the carpet a week ago and finally set it up at 2pm on Friday. It lasted more than 16 hours.
The frontliners said they chose the festival of sacrifice and generosity as an occasion to lay out the floral carpet with the theme of solidarity and hope.
The idea was to mark Onam by spreading the message of unity, brotherhood and positivity and dedicating the special carpet to all those fighting for humanity during the pandemic.
Flowers for the carpet were brought to the UAE on a special cargo plane from Madurai and put together by more than 40 health workers from the Burjeel Medical City. Some Covid survivors, who received treatment at the hospital and recovered, also joined with the frontliners. Oleander, Chrysanthemum, rose and vadarmalli (globe amaranth) were some flowers used to make the carpet.
“We chose to celebrate this year’s Onam with a message, so we decided to arrange this giant floral carpet dedicating it to all those fighting against Covid-19. Such celebrations and festivals will spread positivity to all those in the frontline, working tirelessly and sacrificing their personal lives by serving the community, said Mercy Thomas, a nurse in-charge at the hospital.
The hospital also invited patients and visitors to enjoy this novel experience of celebrating Onam by taking part in the floral carpet arrangements, a hospital staff said.
The floral carpet, created following the social distance and other Covid protocols, is one of the largest made in the UAE during this Onam season.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
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