MAGNA ONA POOKKALAM & ONA SADYA COMPETITIONS – 2026

Celebrating Creativity, Tradition and the Spirit of Onam

As part of the Onam Celebrations 2026, the Malayalee Association Greater Noida (MAGNA) organised online Pookkalam and Ona Sadya Competitions, providing an opportunity for Malayalee families across Greater Noida, Noida Extension, Crossing Republik and nearby areas to celebrate Kerala’s rich traditions from their own homes.

The competitions received an enthusiastic response, with 11 participants submitting their entries. Each entry reflected the joy, creativity and cultural spirit associated with Onam.

MAGNA sincerely appreciates every participant for making the competitions colourful, meaningful and memorable.

PARTICIPANTS

Mobile numbers have been omitted from this public article for privacy.

POOKKALAM COMPETITION

Pookkalam, the traditional floral carpet of Kerala, is one of the most beautiful symbols of Onam. Creating an attractive Pookkalam requires imagination, patience, precision and a keen sense of colour, symmetry and traditional aesthetics.

The entries were evaluated on design and creativity, symmetry, complexity, colour harmony, neatness of flower placement, traditional character and overall visual impact.

After carefully evaluating all the entries, the final results are:

🥇 FIRST PRIZE – ARUSHI NAIR

Arihant Abode

Arushi Nair’s Pookkalam stood out for its large and highly detailed circular composition and impressive overall presentation.

The central motif was particularly creative, complemented by several beautifully developed concentric layers. The effective combination of yellow, orange, red, white and green gave the Pookkalam a vibrant yet balanced appearance.

The intricate workmanship, symmetry, attention to detail and strong visual impact made this entry particularly impressive.

Congratulations to Arushi Nair on winning the First Prize in the MAGNA Online Pookkalam Competition 2026!

🥈 SECOND PRIZE – RESHMA SANDEEP

Fusion Homes

Reshma Sandeep’s entry was another outstanding floral creation, distinguished by its large-scale and elaborate arrangement.

The extensive use of rose petals, flowing patterns and rich combination of colours created a distinctive and attractive composition. The entry scored particularly well in creativity, presentation and overall visual appeal.

Congratulations to Reshma Sandeep on winning the Second Prize in the MAGNA Online Pookkalam Competition 2026!

🏆 Pookkalam Competition – Final Results

🥇 First Prize – Arushi Nair, Arihant Abode
🥈 Second Prize – Reshma Sandeep, Fusion Homes

ONA SADYA COMPETITION

The traditional Ona Sadya is at the heart of Kerala’s Onam celebrations. Served on a banana leaf with a colourful combination of traditional dishes, Sadya represents Kerala’s culinary heritage as well as the spirit of hospitality, togetherness and celebration.

For the MAGNA Ona Sadya Competition, the judging focused on the quality and presentation of each individual Sadya rather than the quantity of food or number of banana leaves displayed.

The entries were evaluated on neatness, visible quality of food, traditional appearance, variety, colour balance, cleanliness of serving, arrangement and overall appeal.

After evaluating the entries on these criteria, the final results are:

🥇 FIRST PRIZE – HEMA SANTHANU

Panchsheel Greens 1

Hema Santhanu’s Ona Sadya was selected for the First Prize for its impressive combination of neatness, quality, traditional character and overall presentation.

The arrangement reflected careful preparation and attention to detail, with the different dishes presented in an organised and visually appealing manner. The variety of preparations, attractive colour balance and clean serving created the authentic appearance expected of a traditional Onasadya.

The overall presentation successfully combined the richness of Kerala’s festive cuisine with a clean and appealing arrangement.

Congratulations to Hema Santhanu on winning the First Prize in the MAGNA Online Ona Sadya Competition 2026!

🥈 SECOND PRIZE – ATHIRA UNNI

Stellar Jeevan

Athira Unni’s Ona Sadya impressed with its natural and authentic traditional appearance, good variety and attractive combination of colours.

The dishes appeared carefully prepared, while the overall serving maintained the familiar warmth and character of a homemade Onasadya. Its traditional presentation, neat arrangement and overall appeal earned it the Second Prize.

Congratulations to Athira Unni on winning the Second Prize in the MAGNA Online Ona Sadya Competition 2026!

🌟 CONSOLATION PRIZE – SATHEESH VELAYUDHAN

Mahagun Mywoods, Noida Extension

A Consolation Prize is awarded to Satheesh Velayudhan in appreciation of his commendable Ona Sadya presentation and enthusiastic participation in the competition.

His entry reflected the traditional spirit of Onam, with a good variety of dishes and an appealing presentation. The recognition acknowledges the effort, care and enthusiasm that went into preparing and presenting the festive Sadya.

Congratulations to Satheesh Velayudhan on receiving the Consolation Prize in the MAGNA Online Ona Sadya Competition 2026!

🏆 Ona Sadya Competition – Final Results

🥇 First Prize – Hema Santhanu, Panchsheel Greens 1
🥈 Second Prize – Athira Unni, Stellar Jeevan
🌟 Consolation Prize – Satheesh Velayudhan, Mahagun Mywoods

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS

MAGNA congratulates Arushi Nair, Reshma Sandeep, Hema Santhanu, Athira Unni and Satheesh Velayudhan on receiving the honours in this year’s competitions.

At the same time, the real success of these competitions lies in the enthusiastic participation of all 11 contestants. Every Pookkalam represented hours of imagination, patience and careful work, while every Ona Sadya reflected the effort involved in preparing and presenting Kerala’s traditional festive feast.

MAGNA extends its sincere appreciation to every participant and their family members who contributed to making these competitions a wonderful celebration of our culture and traditions.

PRIZE DISTRIBUTION – 6 SEPTEMBER 2026

The prizes for the Pookkalam Competition and Ona Sadya Competition will be presented during the MAGNA Onam Celebrations 2026, to be held on:

📅 Sunday, 6 September 2026
📍 Salvation Tree School, Greater Noida West

All winners, participants and their families are warmly invited to join the celebrations and be part of this special occasion.

ALL ENTRIES TO BE FEATURED IN MAGNA SOUVENIR

As a recognition of the enthusiasm and creativity shown by our participants, all entries received for both competitions will be published in MAGNA’s upcoming Souvenir.

The Souvenir will showcase the beautiful Pookkalams and traditional Ona Sadya presentations created by our participants and preserve them as part of the memories of MAGNA Onam Celebrations 2026.

Through these competitions, MAGNA continues its efforts to promote Kerala’s rich cultural traditions and encourage the younger generation and families living in Delhi-NCR to remain connected with our heritage.

🌼 Keeping Our Traditions Alive, Together

Onam is much more than a festival. It is a celebration of togetherness, equality, abundance, family and cultural heritage.

Through initiatives such as the Pookkalam and Ona Sadya competitions, MAGNA seeks to bring families together and encourage everyone—especially the younger generation—to experience, appreciate and carry forward the traditions that make Onam so special.

To all our participants, winners, families, members and well-wishers, thank you for your enthusiastic participation and for making MAGNA Onam 2026 more colourful and memorable.

🌼 Happy Onam! 🌼

Malayalee Association Greater Noida (MAGNA)
Onam Celebrations 2026
6 September 2026 | Salvation Tree School, Greater Noida West