Onam, the annual harvest festival in the sate of Kerala in southern India, is a celebration of not just the harvest but of goodness and equality and a banished mythological king who visits his subjects each year.

It is an important event on the Malayalee calendar.

Ballarat Malayalee Association spokesman Lokan Ravi said the festival had been celebrated locally since about 2009 among a strong and growing Malayalee population.

"There are almost 100 Malayalee families who live around Ballarat, and about 100 Malayalee students who study at Federation University," he said.

Many of them were in attendance yesterday at the celebration, which lasted more than eight hours.

Music, drumming, dancing and other entertainment took place inside St Patrick's Cathedral Hall, with an official ceremony addressed by federal Multicultural Affairs minister Jason Wood by video, Wendouree MP Juliana Addison and other dignitaries.

A highlight of the day was the feast which was shared among all attendees.

"We have a traditional feast served on banana leaves, with 16 to 18 different curries, dessert ... food for nearly 400 people," Mr Ravi said.

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Many people from outside the Malayalee community also took part, with friends, workmates, neighbours and others all invited to take part.

"This is a platform for community to members to join together ... and we try to connect our community members to do more things in the wider local community and get involved in community activities," he said.

The Ballarat Malayalee Association also launched its new website as part of the celebration.

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