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Festivals of Kerala
Festivals, Fairs and mass celebration has always been an integral part of
Kerala's rich culture and tradition. With these festivities and fairs scheduled at different
time of the calendar year, Kerala always has a reason for colourful celebration. It is a lot
of fun and excitement all through out the year with exchange of gifts and get-togethers.
Most important festivals of Kerala are
Onam Festival,
Vishu Festival,
Thrissur
Pooram, Jagannath Festival, Swati Festival, Chritismas Festival,
Easter & Nehru Trophy Boat
Race
Guruvayoor Festivals
The Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple being the center of
attraction in the small town of Guruvayoor, the several festivals that are celebrated here are
attractions in itself. These festivals include:
The 10 days festival or Utsavam, which is held
every February - March. This is one of the most important Guruvayoor festivals, which
begins with Dwajastambham, when the temple flag is hoisted. Rituals involving great pomp
and gaiety follow such as the elephant processions, hunting expedition or Palliveta, holy
bath or Arattu and cultural programs. Splendor and vigor encase the festival, which is
highlight of the Festivals of Kerala.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
This festival is mainly celebrated amongst the people of Alleppey district of Kerala and is
also very famous amidst those on India tour because of its sportive spirit:
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race: this boat race was first conducted in 1952 in honor of India’s
first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. On his visit to Alappuzha district from
Kottayam he was welcomed most splendidly by its residents and escorted by snake boats. Thus, a
replica of snake-boat was then rewarded to the winners of the boat race by Pandit Nehru.
Henceforth, the Snake boat race became an annual affair.
The Onam Festival and Nehru Trophy Boat Race: this festival is one of the most popular
Vallamkali, boat play that takes place during many Kerala festivals. Most important event of
the race is the race of Chundan Vallams, the snake boat race which takes place to commemorate
a mythical event. The legends says that a Brahmin(member of the priestly class) used to offer
his prayers to the deity and feed a poor man on the festival of Onam, on one such occasions he
feeds a young boy who later was believed to be the deity himself. Thus, to commemorate this
event the Brahmin began bringing food to the nearby Arranmulla temple during the harvest
festival known as Onam and the local Snake boats used to escort him.
Hence, to commemorate the event, during the festival of Onam every year Nehru Trophy Boat Race
is conducted which is surely the most adventurous one amongst all the festivals of Kerla
Attukal Pongala, Pongala
Attukal
The festival of Attukal Pongala is celebrated in the temple of Attukal Bhagavathy, a noted
pilgrim centre in Kerala. The Attukal Bhagavathy is one of the ancient temples of southern
India, widely known as Sabarimala (pilgrim) of the Women. This temple is located at
Thiruvananthapura district in the state of Kerala in India.
The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most famous as well as significant of the festivals of Kerala
which is held at Attukal Bhagavathy. Attukal Pongala is a very special and auspicious event
that is celebrated in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Pongala is celebrated for ten days at Attukal
temple, from Karthika, star of the Malayalam month, which falls in the month of March and
April.
On the ninth day of the festival large gathering of women offers Pongala ( rice cooked in milk
and jaggery) to the goddess. Women with Pongala pots and other requirements like rice and
jaggery, gatheres in large numbers from in and around the state to take part in what is
regarded as one of the biggest Kerala festivals.
People across the globe comes as spectators and be the part of Pongala Attukal Festivals of
Kerala on their South India tour. This temple boats of the largest union of women and has also
made a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. To make your Kerala tour more enthralling
do visit Kerala during the Attukal festival.
Ettumanoor Festival
One of the famous temple festivals of Kerala, Ettumanoor festival is celebrated with great
pomp and show annually in Kottayam.
The Parable: the temple is beautifully adorned with fresco paintings which add more color to
this festival of Kerala. The temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and the temple is also famous
for a parable from the ancient epic that says that Pandvas and the sage Vyas had worshipped
here. Ettumanoor festival is a ten day celebration, during which all the riches of the temple
are exhibited formulating it into a lavish affair.
Rituals and Celebration of Ettumanoor in Kerala: The entire festival is full of many
performances and staging of ritual art forms in the temple. People from different districts of
Thiruvananthapuram gather in big numbers to witness the 8 th day, which is the most important
day of this festival. On this day after performing Arattu, the holy bath a procession takes
place, which carries the idol of lord Shiva to a well decorated place in the north-east corner
of the temple. The former act is followed by an exhibition of temple treasure of an idol of
seven and a half elephants all made of gold these elephants embody dik paalakas or the
guardians of the cardinal directions. This aspect makes it one of the unique among the Kerala
Festivals.
This festival provides an opportunity to view the age-old riches of India, thus a South India
tour during this festival surely grants a close glance at the unforgettable sight of the
cultural inheritance of Kerala.
Thiruvathira
Thiruvathira is said to be the Women’s Festival of Kerala. It is celebrated on the Malayalam
month of Dhanu (December-January). On this day ladies worship Lord Shiva and pray for
connubial harmony. Another very interesting facet of this festival is the Thiruvathirakkali
dance that the women perform on this day.
This festival is been celebrated for ages but no one knows its origin. It is said to be
celebrated to commemorate the death of ‘Kaamadeva’ (the Hindu God of Love). Some people also
consider this day as a very auspicious day to worship Lord Shiva and pay a visit to local
temple devoted to Lord Shiva.
As said earlier that this festival is totally a women’s festival, the ladies perform several
rituals to mark the festival of Thiruvathira. This festival last for about seven days and is
mostly celebrated by the Nair community of Kerala. Folk dances and folk songs are the common
views in different parts of Kerala during the celebration of Thiruvathira.
During Thiruvathira, it’s a day of fasting for the ladies and hence on this day they can only
have preparations of Chama (panicum milicceum) or wheat and fruits. There is also a tradition
for this festival to eat betel leaves on this day.
On your most awaited tour to Kerala do not miss out the festival of Thiruvathira as it has a
great significance to explore that cannot be describe in words.
Vaikom Ashtami
Ashthami or Vaikattashtami as it is also called, falls during the dark lunar fortnight of
Vrischikam that falls between mid November to mid December. Ashthami in Vaikom is the most
significant day of the annual 12-day festival. On this day the program begins in the wee
morning hours when the devotees come to offer prayer to Lord Mahadeva, under a peepal tree. A
feast follows this in the noon and a ceremonious procession at night. The procession is the
most important part of the festivities during Ashtami, which is also one of the major
Festivals in Kerala.
This significant procession begins after dusk when the Vaikom temple deity is taken out of the
temple and brought t Anakkottil or elephant shed. The deities from the temples nearby also
participate in this colorful procession which is accompanied by elephants, lighted torches and
chendamelam(a trained group of traditionally dressed people playing drums). When all the
deities gather at Anakkottil, the unique ceremony of Kanikkiduka or offering of presents is
performed. This ritual is unique to this festival only among the other Kerala Festivals, and
one of the most important one of the Vaikom Ashtami festival.
Your India Tour is sure to be an unforgettable one as you witness the colorful traditional
festivals of Kerala.
Festivals of Temples in Thrishur
Ambalamkavu Temple, Adat
Arimbur - Kunnathangadi
Athani Kuttamkavu Pooram
Cheeramkulam Pooram (Kanippayyur)
Chembuthra Pooram (Pattikkad)
Cherpu Thayamkulangara Kavadi
Chinakkathur Pooram - Ottapalam
Chiravarambathukkavu, Aruvai - Kunnamkulam
Edakkazhiyur Panchavadi Pooram
Eravimangalam
Erumappetti Sankarankavu
Irinjalakuda Arattu
Kanimangalam - Koorkkanchery
Kattakkambal Pooram
Kunnamkulam Annamkulangara Pooram (Kanippayyur)
Kunnamkulam Kizhur Pooram
Kuttanellur Pooram
Kuttur Naithalakkavu Kavadi
Machattu Mamangam
Manalarkavu Pooram (Viyyur)
Nenmara Vallangi Vela, Nenmmara(Palakkad)
Olari Vela
Parakkottukkavu Thalapoli
Paramekkavu Vela
Parappukkavu Pooram, Kecheri
Pathirakottukavu
Pazhannana Parappukkavu Pooram (Choondal)
Pururuthi Ayyappankkavu
Sankaran Kulangara Vela
Sree Panthalloor Siv Bahgavathi pooram***
Thiruvambadi Arattu
Thiruvambadi Vela
Thiruviluamala Niramala
Tholoor Vaisyamkaw (Parappur) Kavadi
Thriprayar Ekadasi
Thrissur Pooram
Thypooyam, (Kavadiyattam), Koorkkanchery
Uthralikkavu Pooram
Varakkara Pooram
* Three
Days Festival in the same temple by three near by villages.
**
Pooram can fall on either of these dates.
***
Probable dates for the festival.
For latest, accurate
and up-to-date information on Kerala Tourism please contact
Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala
Park View, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India - 695 033
Phone: +91-471-2321132 Fax: +91-471-2322279
Tourist Information toll free No:1-800-425-4747
eMail:
info@keralatourism.org ,
deptour@keralatourism.org
website : www.keralatourism.org
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