Malayalees in Calcutta celebrated Onam indoors because of the pandemic. Saturday was the most important day of Onam, called Thiruvonam.

Large physical gatherings were mostly absent. But people hosted small groups of friends and neighbours. Pookkalams, or rangolis made of flowers, were made at home.

At the in-house gatherings, young men and women turned up in traditional attire.

Sadya, a traditional feast spread on a banana leaf, was one of the highlights of the day. Rice, avial (curry of different vegetables) and pickles were part of the fare. “Because of Covid, we couldn’t step out for celebrations. We cooked at home and had a good feast,” said a state government officer who hails from Kerala.

The Calcutta Malayalee Samajam will organise a virtual Onam celebration on Sunday where cultural performances will be held. Friends and relatives from Kerala and the Gulf are slated to join in.

K. Nandakumar, the national vice-president of the All India Malayalee Association, said homes were decorated with floral alpana. “Some people came over to my house. We had an Onam feast,” he said.