Women create a pookalam design during Onam celebrations in Bhubaneswar. (Below) Malayalee families attend a community feast. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 11: A bit of south India came down to the Temple City on Sunday.

Keralites here celebrated their grand and auspicious festival, Onam, with much gusto and passion on Sunday. Over 1,000 families had congregated at the Tirupati Thirumala Devasthan Kalyana Mandapam in the capital, which was colourfully decorated with flowers for the occasion.

Wearing the traditional white sari with golden border, women were busy decorating their Onam pookalam or flower carpet that is created to welcome the mythical Asura king Mahabali, who was deported to the netherworld by Lord Vishnu. The men, also in their customary attire, were busy welcoming guests and guiding food preparations.

Organised by Kerala Kala Samiti for the past 45 years, the festival brings the entire Malayalee community in Bhubaneswar together.

An elaborate and sumptuous feast called sadya was one of the main attractions of the festival.

The grand luncheon organised by the samiti was a delicious spread of food that was offered to guests on a plantain leaf. Sambhar, kalan made from beans and curd, pachidhi, toran, avial, olan, pulangi, butter-milk, rasam, payasam were some of the delicacies served on the platter.

“One of the highlights of Onam is the variety of food prepared during the festival. At least 20 dishes have been prepared for this occasion. We have invited cooks from Kerala to prepare some of the most authentic Keralite dishes for us,” said the president of Kerala Kala Samiti, V.M. Mani.

Onam, also regarded as a harvest festival, coincides with the first month of the Kerala, Chinga masam. The festival is celebrated for 10 days, with Thiruonam held on the final day.

“For Malayalees, Onam is the biggest festival. Though it is a 10-day festival and Thiruvonam fell on September 9 this year, we planned to celebrate on Sunday because only on this day all of us can assemble at one place. The festival was celebrated with pomp and pleasure,” said Rosa, a member of the Kerala Kala Samiti.

To add zing to the festival, a cultural programme has also been organised by the association next week.