Mangalore: Jubilation all around as city bathes in brilliant hues of Okkuli
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Feb 18: The annual Kodial Theru or Car Festival of Lord Venkataramana Temple came to a brilliantly colouful end here on Monday February 18, with thousands gathering at the temple square in Car Street to celebrate Okkuli festival.
Young and old alike rejoiced in the colours of the festival, drenching themselves and each other in hues of green, red, pink, yellow, blue and what not.
The beat of drums and the dancing crowd added extra spark to the holi celebrations, even as 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.
DJs and Nasik bands added more color to the event along with water tankers gushing waters on the jubilant crowd.