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Kerala, a state in southwestern India, has many Hindu temples. Many of the temples have unique traditions and most hold festivals on specific days of the year. Temple festivals usually continue for a number of days. A common characteristic of these festivals is the hoisting of a holy flag which is then brought down only on the final day of the festival. The largest festival in kerala in Pooram category is Arattupuzha Pooram at Arattupuzha temple and in Ulsavam category is Vrishchikolsavam of Thripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple. Some festivals include the most famous of these being the Thrissur Pooram. Temples that can afford it will usually involve at least one richly caparisoned elephant as part of the festivities. The idol of the God in the temple is taken out on a procession around the countryside atop this elephant. When the procession visits homes around the temple, people will usually present rice, coconuts and other offerings to the God. Processions often include traditional music such as Panchari melam or Panchavadyam. The festivals of Kerala are famous around the globe due to its diversity of experience. [1]
Common religio-cultural festivals celebrated all across Kerala are:
Festival | Date^ |
---|---|
Arattupuzha Pooram | March/April |
Vishu | April 14/15 |
Mahashivaratri | February/March |
Krishna Janmashtami | August/September |
Navaratri | September/October |
Deepavali |
The major temple festivals of Kerala are: [2]
Festival | Venue |
---|---|
Vrishchikotsavam | Sree Poornathrayeesa, Tripunithura |
Arattupuzha Pooram | Arattupuzha, Thrissur |
Makaravilakku | Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta |
Attukal Pongala | Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram |
Vrishchikotsavam | Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple |
Kaaliyootu | Major Vellayani Devi Temple |
Utsavams | Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram |
Ashtami | Vaikom Temple, Kodungalloor Bharani |
Chembai Sangeetholsavam | Guruvayoor |
Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani | Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Mavelikara |
Maha Shivaratri | Aluva Temple, Maradu |
Maha Shivaratri | Padanilam Parabrahma Temple, Mavelikkara |
Ponkalamaholsavam | Anikkattilammakshethram, Mallappally |
Thiruvabharana Ghoshayathra | Valiyakoickal Temple, Pandalam |
Vela | Nenmara, Vallanghy |
Cheriyanad Pallivilakk Kettukazhcha Ratholsavam | Cheriyanad Balasubramanya temple , Cheriyanad , Alappuzha |
Kalpathi Ratholsavam | Kalpathi, Palakkad |
Adoor Gajamela | Sree Parthasarathy Temple, Pathanamthitta |
Thaipooyam Mahotsavam | Sree Subrahmanya Swamy Temple, Harippad, Cheriyanad Balasubramanya temple |
Thaipooyam Mahotsavam, Koorkancherry | Koorkancherry Sree Maheswara Temple, Thrissur |
Machattu Mamangam | Machattu Thiruvanikavu Temple, Thrissur |
Ezhara Ponnana | Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple, Kottayam |
Mannarasala Ayilyam | Sree Nagaraja Temple, Mannarasala, Alappuzha |
Ayilyam Festival at Vettikode | Sree Nagaraja Swami Temple, Alappuzha |
Ochira Kali | Ochira Parabrahma Temple, Kollam |
Malanada Kettukazcha | Poruvazhi Malanada Temple, Kollam |
Kodungallur Kavutheendal and Bharani | Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple, Thrissur |
Thirunakkara Arattu | Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, Kottayam |
Pisharikav Kaaliyattom | Pisharikavu Temple, Koyilandy |
Sakthikulangara Kunchachamman's Aaratt | Sakthikulangara Sree Dharma Shasta Temple, Kollam |
Vairankode Vela (Theeyattulsavam) | Vairankode Bhagavathy Temple, Malappuram |
Pooram pronounced is an annual festival, which is celebrated in temples dedicated to goddesses Durga or Kali, held especially in the old Valluvanad area, and to a lesser extent in other places, covering Kerala State's present-day Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts) as also Kollam district, after the summer harvest. Harimattom pooram is one of the famous pooram in Ernakulam. An example of a famous pooram is Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram which has an active participation of 11 Lakh people across the country. Most pooram festivals have at least one ornately decorated elephant being paraded in the procession taken out of the temple precincts. However, there are some well known poorams, such as Anthimahakalankavu Vela, Chelakkara, Aryankavu Pooram at shoranur Palakkad and Machad mamangam near Wadakkanchery that do not use the caparisoned elephant, instead go for stilted mannequins of horses or bullocks. Vela is also a festival like pooram. Thrissur Pooram is the most famous of all poorams, known for fire works. The second-best-known Pooram in Kerala is Kollam Pooram. Kavassery pooram is well known for fireworks during afternoon. Some other well-known pooram festivals are Arattupuzha-Peruvanam Pooram, Chalissery Pooram is well known for the art and cultural standards, Anthimahakalankavu Vela, Nenmara Vallangi Vela, Vairankode Vela, Chinakathoor pooram, Mannarkkad Pooram, Kavassery Pooram, Pariyanampatta Pooram, Harimattom Pooram and Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram. Peruvanam-Arattupuza pooram is celebrating its 1436th year in 2018.
The ThrissurPooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram day—the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam Calendar month of Medam. It is the largest and most famous of all poorams in India. Thrissur pooram is also one of the largest festivals in Asia with more than 1 million visitors.
The Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva in Thrissur, in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India. The temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four sides in addition to a koothambalam. Mural paintings depicting various scenes from the Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple. The shrines and the Kuttambalam display vignettes carved in wood. The temple, along with the mural paintings, has been declared as a National Monument by India under the AMASR Act. According to popular local lore, this is the first temple built by Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu. Thekkinkadu Maidan, encircling the Vadakkumnathan Temple, is the main venue of the renowned Thrissur Pooram festival.
Elephants found in Kerala, the Indian elephants, are one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant. Since 1986, Asian elephants have been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be between 25,600 to 32,750 in the wild. The species is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. Along with a large population of wild elephants, Kerala has more than seven hundred captive elephants. Most of them are owned by temples and individuals. They are used for religious ceremonies in and around the temples, and some churches, and a few elephants work at timber yards.
Panchari Melam is a percussion ensemble, performed during temple festivals in Kerala, India. Panchari Melam, is one of the major forms of Chenda Melam, and is the best-known and most popular in the kshetram vadyam genre. Panchari Melam, comprising instruments like Chenda, Ilathalam, Kombu and Kuzhal, is performed during many temple festivals in central Kerala, where it is presented in arguably the most classical manner. Panchari is also traditionally performed, albeit with a touch of subtle regional difference, in north Kerala (Malabar) and south-central Kerala (Kochi). Of late, its charm has led to its performance even in temples in Kerala's deep south.
Koodalmanikyam Temple is a Hindu temple in Irinjalakuda Municipality, Thrissur district, Kerala, India. The temple comprises a main structure, a walled compound with citadels, and four ponds around the main structure one of which is within the walls. Koodalmanikyam Temple is the only ancient temple in India dedicated to the worship of Bharata, of Rama, however the idol is that of god Vishnu. "Sangameshwara" is another name associated with the deity at Koodalmanikyam. The temple is one of four in Kerala that form a set called "nalambalam", each temple dedicated to one of the four brothers in the epic Ramayana: Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.
Cherpu is a suburb of Thrissur city in the Kerala State of South India. It is 12 kilometres south of Thrissur town and is on the Thriprayar road. It is dotted by a number of temples and has quite a few rivers flowing by its vicinity.
Uthramvilakku is a temple festival celebrated at Edakkunni in Ollur, south of Thrissur in central Kerala, south India. The highlight of the event is an over four-hour Panchari melam in the temple compound past midnight on the uthram day, with each of the five caparisoned elephants on the occasion carrying a deity each from as many temples.
Vallachira is a census town in Thrissur district in the Indian state of Kerala.
Ammathiruvadi Temple, the magnificent ancient Devi temple is situated in Urakam, a serene village, located approximately about 12 km from Thrissur city and almost the same distance from Irinjalakuda town when one travel towards Thrissur.
The oldest pooram in all of Kerala, the Arattupuzha Pooram is held at the Sree Sastha Temple in Thrissur for a period of seven days each year. Believers say that at this 'conclave', all Gods and Goddesses gather during the time period of the Pooram. Arattupuzha Temple in Arattupuzha, Thrissur district of Kerala. Visitors from nearby and far off places reach the village of Arattupuzha during the festival days. The pinnacle of the seven-day festival is the last two days. The evening prior to the last day of the festival would have an assembly of caparisoned elephants and staging of percussion ensembles as part of the ceremony called Sasthavinte Melam. The pancharimelam of Aarttupuzha Sasthavu is the largest assembly of percussion artists in any other night Poorams. More than 200 artists perform in sasthavinte melam. This can only be seen at Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura other than in Arattupuzha Pooram
Rakthakanda Swamy Temple, Omallur, Pathanamthitta District, known as "Omallur Temple" traces its history to the 8th century AD. It is a pilgrim centre on the way to Sabarimala from Pandalam, the birthplace of Sree Ayyappan. The Temple is famous for its annual festival of 10 days in the month of Medom of Malayalam Era. The 10-day festival is celebrated by 10 Karayogams in and around Omallur. During the festival days, there is a customary Arattu procession to the river Achenkovil. More than 10 elephants decorated with Nettipattom will be a speciality of this Arattu. The Temple has a Golden Flag Staff erected in the year 1952 AD. Omallur is 4 km south from the district headquarters Pathanamthitta and 11 km from MC Road. Omallur Temple has many interesting stone carvings. Kallunadasvaram and Kalchangala are two among them.
Peruvanam Pooram is one of the most popular temple festivals of the South Indian state of Kerala. It is held at Peruvanam Temple in Cherpu, Thrissur District. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of this temple.
Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are the prominent religions in Kollam district. As per the Census 2011, out of the total population of 2,635,375 persons, 64.42% follow Hinduism, 19.30% follow Islam and 16.00% follow Christianity. Other religions comprise 0.04%, while 0.25% did not state any religion.
Uthralikkavu Pooram (ഉത്രാളിക്കാവ്) is a festival held at Shri Rudhiramahakalikav temple situated at Wadakkanchery in Thalappilly taluk of Thrissur district in Kerala, South India. The temple is famed for its Pooram festival held during February / March every year. It is considered as the second highest crowded pooram after Thrissur Pooram
The Nenmara Vallanghy Vela or Nenmara Vela is one of the most popular annual festival of Kerala celebrated at Nellikulangara Bhagavathy temple in Nenmara, Palakkad district.
Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram(Malayalam: തിരുമാന്ധാംകുന്ന് പൂരം) is an important temple festival of Central Malabar, Kerala, India. Thriumandhamkunnu Temple is said to be one among the three important Bhagavathi temples of Kerala, the others being Kodungallur and Panayannarkavu. Daily pooja attracts thousands of devotees. The famous Mangalya Pooja attracts thousands of young girls, who seeks fortune of a good wedlock. This year the Pooram festival will start from March 17, 2024 and will end on March 27, 2024 with large public participants.
The Thoniyakavu Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to the Goddess Bhadrakali, located in the village of Puthenpeedika in Kerala state, India.
Paramekkavu Rajendran was an elephant from Kerala, who holds the record of participating in the most number of Thrissur Poorams for more than 50 years.
Peruvanam is a historical area of Brahmin settlement in central Kerala. In Kerala Sanskrit literature, the name "Peruvanam" is often Sanskritized as Puruvana meaning the forest where a sage named Puru lived and meditated. The name "Perumanam" is also used instead of Peruvanam.