Festivals

Kerala is well known for festivals, kerala is considered as land of festivals. State have large number of holidays due to festivals. Festivals in Kerala are always celebrated with much pomp and show. The festive seasons display the best of Kerala’s rich culture and heritage. You will not want to miss the vibrant colours, exotic fragrances, scintillating music, and century long traditions that set each festival apart from the other. Kerala which is often referred to as 'God's Own Country' has a large number of 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. Some festivals include Poorams, 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 country side 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.



MOST POPULAR FESTIVAL'S IN KERALA:

Onam:  Onam is a major festival celebrated in Kerala, India. It is also the state festival of Kerala with State holidays on 4 days starting from Onam Eve (Uthradom) to the 3rd Onam Day. One of the main part of Onam celebration is making "atha pookkalam" (making patterns using different flowers). Onam is celebrated from "atham - thiruvonam".
The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug - Sep).Onam is an ancient festival which still survives in modern times. Kerala's rice harvest festival and the Festival of Rain Flowers, which fall on the month of Chingam, celebrates the Asura King Mahabali's annual visit from Patala (the underworld). Onam is unique since Mahabali has been revered by the Hindu people of Kerala.The King is so much attached to his kingdom that it is believed that he comes annually from the nether world to see his people living happily. It is in honour of King Mahabali that Onam is celebrated. The deity Vamana, also called Thrikkakarappan is also revered during this time by installing a clay figure next to the floral carpet (Pookalam) .The birthday of Sri Padmanabhan, the presiding Deity of Thiruvananthapuram, is on the Thiruvonam day in the month of Chingam. Thiruonam day is the most important day of Onam.
                                              

Onam Sadya

Onam Pookalam

Thrissur Pooram : Thrissur pooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooramday - 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.

 Thrissur Pooram was the brain child of Raja Rama Varma or famously known as Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790–1805). Before the start of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival in Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha knows as Arattupuzha Pooram. Temples in and around City of Thrissur were regular participants. One day because of incessant rains, they were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram and were denied access to the Pooram procession. Felt embarrassed by the denial, the temples went to the Sakthan Thampuran and told their story.

  So in 1798, he unified the 10 temples situated around Vadakkunnathan Temple and organised the celebration of Thrissur Pooram as a mass festival. He invited temples with their deities to City of Thrissur to pay obeisance to Lord Vadakkunnathan, the presiding deity of the Vadakkunnathan Temple. Sakthan Thampuran ordained these temples into two groups, namely "Paramekkavu side" and "Thiruvambady side". The Paramekkavu side consists of besides "Paramekkavu Bagavathy", 1) Pookattikkara-Karamukku Baghavathy, 2) Choorakattukara Baghavathy, 3)Chempukkavu Baghavathy, 4) Panemukkumpilly Sastha.

Besides Thiruvambady Baghavathy, the Thiruvambady side is having 1) Ayyanthole Baghavathy 2) Nethilakkavu Baghavathy 3) Laloor bagavathy 4) Kanimangalam Sastha. The Pooram was to be centered around the Vadakkunnathan Temple, with all these temples sending their Poorams (the whole procession), to pay obeisance to the Shiva, the presiding deity. The Thampuran is believed to have chalked out the program and the main events of the Thrissur Pooram festival.

Sree Padmanbha's Arattu:The Sree Padmanbha's Arattu is again a Royal Procession of Lord Sree Padmanabha, the presiding deity of the Temple, happening twice in a year. As Lord Sree Padmanabha was the National Deity of the Travancore Kingdom who adored the title of Emperor of the Erstwhile Kingdom, the procession is considered one of the last legacy of royal heritage, with Kerala Police, Indian Army, Air force making its obligation to the Lord. This was part of the British tradition, when Royal Indian Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy saluted the lord with 21 gun salute, which is still carried today. The procession is considered to the biggest in the city with the Maharaja of Travancore taking the lead in the procession with a Golden sword followed by members of Palace Guards, Kerala Armed police, Sree Padmanabha's Mounted Guards and Royal Elephants, taking the idols of Lords as a parade throughout the city, to the nearby seashore at Shanumugham Beach for a bath. The time of Arattu is a public holiday in the Thiruvananthapuram city and during the bathing time at Sea shore in Shangumugham beach, no aircrafts are allowed to fly over as the Trivandrum Airport is nearby, as a respect to lord. This happens twice in a year one during Nov-Dec time and another during Mar-Apr time Also once in 12 years, the biggest festival at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple happens, which marks lighting of 100,000 oil lamps, which is world record event, called Lakshamdeepam.

Navarathri :During Sept-Oct time as well as Sree Padmanabha's Arattu held twice in a Year. Both are celebrated in Thiruvananthapuram and its focal point is at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. Navarathiri is considered to be a major festival across India and in Kerala its related to worship of Goddess Saraswathi (Goddess of Learning and Knowledge). In Thiruvananthapuram, Navarathiri season is marked with Parade of Kerala Police from the city to nearby Sree Padmanabhapuram Palace in Nagerkovil district of Tamil Nadu to bring the Royal Idols of Goddess (Goddess Durga is the family god of Travancore Royal family and these are still the continuation of Royal tradition as practiced in Travancore Kingdom). With the Parade of Armed Police, Mounted Police Battalions, Palace Guards, Members of Royal Family, the idols are brought to Thiruvanathapuram city and placed in Ramanar Palace near to Sree Padmanabha temple for the nine nights. The Nine nights are then marked with special musical programs, particularly the famous Classical music festival, which is worth to listen and enjoy.

Christmas & New Year :  If there is one festival the whole of Kochi impatiently awaits every year, then it's the Cochin Carnival held in the last week of December. Fort Kochi is decked up like a bride and tourists, not only from within the country, but also outside, flock to this lovely port city to participate in the revelry. The inception of the Kochi carnival can be traced back to the Portuguese New Year revelry, held here during the colonial days. Gradually, it evolved to take the form of what is today popularly called the Cochin Carnival of Kerala.

Preparations generally begin months in advance for hosting the unique games, fairs and partying during the Carnival of Cochin. Dressed up in fancy dresses, everyone, children in particular, is seen bursting with enthusiasm. The highlight of the carnival is the massive procession on the New Year's Day. Led by an embellished elephant accompanied by drums and music, the carnival is a moment to behold. There is also staging of different South and North Indian folk dances during the festivity.

Color white simply dominates the concluding 10 days of December, during the Kochi Carnival. All establishments in the city don white paper buntings. The available space on the streets host impromptu competitions and multi-faceted celebrations. Kalam Vara (floor drawing), tug-of-war, bicycle race, swimming in the sea, beach volleyball are some of the programs that take place during the Cochin Carnival at Fort Kochi. The festivities and revelries continue till midnight of December 31st with fireworks marking the grand finale.

 

  

     

Vishu : Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala, India. It is also celebrated as Bisu in Mangalore and Udupi districts of Karnataka, India. Vishu signifies the Hindu New Year and falls on the month of Medam in the Malayalam calendar, usually in the second week of April in the Gregorian calendar. The official date is set by the Indian National Calendar.

Vishu is celebrated with much fanfare and vigour in all parts of Kerala, especially by Hindus. It is considered a festival of light and fireworks, and decorating lights and bursting of firecrackers (Vishupadakkam) is part of the celebration. Other elements of Vishu include buying of new clothes (Puthukodi) for the occasion, the tradition of giving money called Vishukkaineetam , and the Vishu feast or Sadya, which consist of equal proportions of salty, sweet, sour and bitter items. Feast items include Veppampoorasam, Mampazhappulissery, Vishu kanji and Vishu katta
The most important event in Vishu is the Vishukkani, which literally means "the first thing seen on the day of Vishu after waking up". The Vishukkani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles intended to signify prosperity, including rice, fruits and vegetables, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, yellow flowers called konna (Cassia fistula), holy texts and coins, all arranged around lord Krishna in an ambience lit by nilavilakku or tookkuvilakku (traditional oil lamps) usually in the prayer room of the house. This is arranged the night before Vishu and is the first sight seen on Vishu. On Vishu, devotees often visit temples like Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple or Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple to have a 'Vishukkani Kazhcha' (viewing) in the early hours of the day.

Aluva sivarathri Festival :Sivarathri celebrated in Aluva, a place in Ernakulam district of Kerala, south India is called the Aluva Sivarathri festival. The celebration of Sivarathri in Aluva is very famous in Kerala. The month of Kumbham is noted for the Sivarathri festival which falls in February - March.

Aluva Sivarathri is celebrated at the Siva temple on the banks of Periyar River and this place is called the Aluva Manal Puram (land with sand).

Pilgrims offer Bali (sacrifice) to their ancestors in the morning succeeding the holy night.Near the bank of periyar, Aluva Manal Puram, there will be a lots of stalls installed for people for purchasing, shopping, exhibitions, adventure rides for children and adults and lot more. It will remain for two weeks after the offerings of Bali (sacrifice).This festival is celebrated as a remembrancer for the lord siva

Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani : Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani is an important festival celebrated every year at the Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Chettikulangara, Alappuzha district, Kerala. It is held is in the month of March or April, the date being determined according to the Malayalam Calendar. Chettikulangara Bharani in the Bharani nakshatra in the Malayalam month of Kumbha and hence the name Kumbha Bharani. Kuthiyottam and Kettukazhcha are the highlights of the festival. The festival is under consideration to be bestowed with the Intangible Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO.

Makaravilakku : Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on 14 January (Makar Sankranti) in Kerala, India at the shrine of Sabarimala. The festival includes the Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments of Ayyappan) procession and a congregation at the hill shrine of Sabarimala. An estimated half a million devotees flow to

Sabarimala every year to have a darshan (vision) of this ritual.

 Vallam kali :Vallam kali is a traditional boat race in Kerala, India. It is a form of canoe racing, and uses paddled war canoes. It is mainly conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in autumn. Vallam Kali includes races of many kinds of paddled longboats, the traditional boats of Kerala.

Vanchipattu  is the form of poetry in Malayalam language commonly using while Vallam Kali and related festivals.
The race of Chundan Vallam (snake boat) is the major event. Hence Vallam Kali is also known as the Snake Boat Race and is a major tourist attraction. Other types of boats which do participate in various events in the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttukuthy Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam, Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali event held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India.

List of periodical Vallam Kali events:

1.     Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha
2.     Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali at Aranmula, Pathanamthitta
3.     President's Trophy Boat Race in Ashtamudi lake, Kollam
4.     Kallada Boat Race in Kallada River, Kollam
5.     Pampa Boat Race in Neerattupuram
6.     Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
7.     Kumarakom Boat Race
8.     Payippad Jalotsavam
9.     Kannetty Sree Narayana Boat Race in Karunagappally, Kollam
10.     Thazhathangadi Boat Race, Kottayam
11.     Gothuruth Boat Race, in the Periyar, Ernakulam
12.     Piravom Boat Race in Piravom

Other Festivals are:

1.     Aanayoottu
2.     Aaraattu
3.     Arattupuzha Pooram
4.     Ayya Vaikunda Avataram
5.     Dhanu
6.     Edakkunni Uthram Vilakku
7.     Edayil Madhom
8.    Feast of Saint Raphael, Ollur
9.     Gandharvanpattu
10.     Ilanjithara Melam
11.     India International Boat Show
12.     International Film Festival of Kerala
13.     Kadavallur Anyonyam
14.     Kanyarkali
15.     Karivela
16.     Kerala Adventure Carnival
17.     Kerala New Year
18.     Kerala School Kalolsavam
19.     Keralotsavam
20.     Kollam Pooram
21.     Kondotty Nercha
22.     Kottakkal pooram
23.     Kottankulangara Festival
24.     Machad Mamangam
25.     Makaravilakku
26.     Manalikkara
27.     Naduvil Madhom
28.     Nalukulangara Pooram
29.     Kalpathi Ratholsavam
30.     Nenmara Vallanghy Vela
31.     Onathallu or Avittathallu
32.     Peruvanam Pooram
33.     Puli Kali
34.     Revathi Pattathanam
35.     Syne International Film Festival
36.     Tattamangalam Kuthira Vela
37.     Temple Festivals of Kerala
38.     Thekke Madhom
39.     Thiruvathira
40.     Thrissur International Film Festival
41.     Pooram
42.     Trichambaram uthsavam
43.     Uthralikavu Pooram
44.     Vadakke Madhom
45.     ViBGYOR Film Festival