A SOUTH Indian restaurant in Basingstoke is all set to throw an exciting Malayali harvest festival.

Following their June opening, South Indian restaurant Elai will throw an Onam celebration in Basingstoke on Sunday, September 4. 

Described as a ‘taste of Kerala, celebrated with joy and enthusiasm’, Onam is an annual Malayali harvest festival. In commemoration of the Keralan King Mahabali, it includes a spectrum of cultural events. 

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During the celebration, guests can expect to dine from a banana leaf and enjoy authentic Indian dance. They’ll also be encouraged to eat by hand, as is traditional in Kerala. 

Split into a lunch and evening session, owner Nidhin Satheesan hopes to welcome 200 guests to the celebration. 

He said: ‘We’re so excited to celebrate Onam in Elai, and provide an unforgettable experience for our diner’s friends and families. With this full sensory festival, we hope to encourage our guests to explore different cultures, and try something new.”

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Co-owner Unni Krishnan added: “We’ve received so much support from the local community since our opening. Be it our authentic food or our inspired decor, our guests are transported to South India the moment they step through Elai’s door.” 

For £26.95 per person, guests will receive an ‘Onam Sadhya’ - a banquet of twenty vegetarian dishes served on a banana leaf - and experience a traditional dance performance from award-winning group FatBoyz. 

Guests at the lunchtime session can also enter a ‘Pookalam’ flower competition. With flowers provided, the table who creates the best rangoli design will receive £75 to spend at Elai. 

Elai’s lunchtime session commences at 1pm, whilst the evening session begins at 6pm.

To reserve your table for Onam at Elai visit elai.uk/onam-festival/.