New Delhi: With moderate showers making the weather pleasant, the Malayali community in the capital gathered on Sunday to usher in the festive Onam season with the traditional colourful floral patterns of 'pookalam'.
A week ahead of the festival, the pookalam contest, saw participants joining in from several parts of the city.
Pookalam is the traditional design done using flowers of different varieties and hues, which heralds the onset of the Onam season in Kerala.
The intricately designed patterns, made of flowers like jasmine, roses and shatavari, were judged by an eminent panel of judges.
Atham procession, which marks the beginning of Onam festival, taking place in Kochi on Friday. (Photo: AP)
"We judged the designs on the basis of their adherence to the tradition of using ten different flowers and minimal usage of artificial elements," said a judge.
A team from Mayur Vihar, which was adjudged the winner, received a cash prize of Rs 20,001 along with a trophy.
