Hari Ayyappan, Founder of Archers Entertainment, Shobha Pillai Coutinho, Founder of Backwaters Chechie and Shaju Ignatius came together to bring the spirit, culture and traditions of Kerala to Mumbai through Backwaters Chechie’s AAGHOSHAM 2026 – Experience Kerala, held at Fairmont Mumbai on 22 August 2026.
Conceptualised and curated as a celebration of Kerala, AAGHOSHAM brought together cuisine, music, performing arts, heritage and inspiring achievers, creating an immersive Onam experience for guests in Mumbai. The IP was jointly conceptualised by Shobha Pillai Coutinho and Hari Ayyappan, with Shaju Ignatius playing an important role in bringing the celebration to life.
The event was presented in collaboration with Fairmont Mumbai as the Venue Partner.
Celebrating Kerala Through AAGHOSHAM
At the heart of AAGHOSHAM was an effort to recreate the warmth and togetherness associated with Onam. Guests experienced Kerala through a traditional 40-item Sadhya, live music, cultural performances and a celebration of personalities who have made an impact across various fields.
The Sadhya was curated by Backwaters Chechie in collaboration with the culinary team at The Merchants restaurant at Fairmont Mumbai. Served traditionally on banana leaves, the feast showcased the flavours and culinary heritage of Kerala.
The entertainment line-up included performances by Mahesh Raghavan and Shravan Sridhar, along with Soumya Ayyappan, Maruthorvattom Kannan and Sanjukta Nair. Monica Murthy, in her popular Ammini Amma persona, anchored the celebration with humour and warmth.
Honouring Kerala’s Achievers
The AAGHOSHAM Achievers Awards recognised personalities across cinema, music, entertainment, literature, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, hospitality and public service.
Among those honoured were Madhoo Shah, Suchitra Pillai, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Anu Menon aka Lola Kutty, Suresh Menon, Sherrin Varghese, Vijay Koshy, Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, Pankaj Gupta, Dr. A. P. Jayaraman, Dr. Vijay K. Panikar, Kavitha George, Rohit Raj, Sarla Menon and Dolby Davis aka I Am Mallu.
Singer Armaan Malik received the special award, “Voice of Malayalam Music and Beyond Borders,” which was accepted on his behalf by his parents, Jyothi Malik and Daboo Malik.
A Celebration Built Around Community
BIG FM supported AAGHOSHAM as its Official Radio Partner, helping the IP reach a wider audience. The organisers also acknowledged the support of partners and sponsors including Nei Native, Gramiya and Victoria Memorial School.
Midnight Media Solutions, Co-Founder Lancy Coutinho and the wider creative, digital and production teams also contributed to bringing the celebration together.
Speaking about the event, Shobha Pillai Coutinho 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. This milestone belongs to every person who believed in our vision and worked tirelessly to bring it alive.”
Hari Ayyappan said, “AAGHOSHAM is more than an event—it is an experience that connects people with the richness and emotional depth of Kerala. The overwhelming response to this edition encourages us to take this IP forward with an even larger vision.”
Shaju Ignatius said, “Being born in God’s own country, this project and event will truly be special for me. It’s a coming together of friends & family – in its truest form.
‘Aagosham’ will be our sincere give back to the community, this celebration & collaboration will be part of a legacy going forward”
With AAGHOSHAM 2026, Hari Ayyappan and Shaju Ignatius brought together friends, families, artists, achievers and partners to create an Onam celebration that connected Mumbai with the spirit of Kerala.
