Temple festivals of Kerala

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]

Thrissur Pooram
View of a huge Sivarathri

Major temple festivals

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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
^In Kerala, festival dates are decided in accordance with the
Malayalam calendar and the local traditions and customs.
Overlapping Gregorian calendar months are used instead.

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

References

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  1. ^ Festival news Kerala
  2. ^ "Festival Calendar".