Malayalees celebrate Onam in Pondy

Puducherry, Aug 27 (UNI) Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, is being celebrated with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm by the Malayalees in this Union Territory today.

Clad in new clothes, people decorated their houses with flowers and arranged the 'Onam feast'.

Various cultural programmes were being organised by the Puducherry Kerala Samajam and Kairali Cultural Society to mark the occasion.

For the first time, the Puducherry administration declared a public holiday in all the four regions of the Union Territory in view of the festival. Hitherto, the Mahe region Territory adjoining Kerala was enjoying a public holiday, while it was a restricted holiday in the other three regions. The holiday, however, was not declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act for the three regions, except Mahe.

Puducherry Lt Governor Mukut Mithi, Chief Minister N Rangasamy and leaders of various parties greeted people on the occasion.

UNI