Mangalore: Spirits high as city soaks in joyous colours of Okkuli
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Feb 7: Car Street in the city was soaked in a myriad colours of joy as young and old alike converged at the Temple Square here on Friday February 7 to celebrate the festival of Okkuli.
The Okkuli celebration marked the culminattion of the annual Kodial Theru or Car Festival of Lord Venkataramana Temple.
People of all ages, especially the young rejoiced as they drenched themselves in hues of red, pink, yellow, green, blue and many more. People were seen wishing each other and simply soaking in the joy of the moment.
The beat of drums and the dancing crowd made the celebrations extra special. The jubilant crowd rejoiced even more as gushing water from tankers drenched them thoroughly.
The idol of the Temple deity was carried on a golden palanquin. Vasant puja and other rituals were peformed on the occasion inside the Temple premises.
The annual five-day festival is special to the Gowd Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community and is a commemoration of the divine union of Lord Venkataramana and Goddess Padmavathi.
The main celebration consists of the Car Festival and carrying of the deity on a palaquin around the city.
Live DJ and entertainment made the event all the more enthralling.