Festival Calendar

January 2000

06 - 15: Agri Fest at Kanakakkunnu Palace, Thiruvananthapuram.  This is the largest agricultural fair of its kind in the State.

Festival highlights:

• Exhibitions

• Seminars

• Cultural shows

• Variety entertainment

12 - 19: Annual seven day Utsavam at Siva Temple, Ernakulam.

Festival highlights:

• Seeveli procession, twice every day with 9 tuskers and panchavadyam

• Pakalpooram on the seventh day

• All night Kathakali performance on the first and second nights

• Ottanthullal

• Music concerts

• Arattu 

Deity of the temple: Ernakulathappan (Lord Siva)

13 - 16: Malabar Mahotsavam at Kozhikode. A cultural extravaganza that showcases the centuries old rich cultural heritage of India.

Festival highlights:

• Classical dances

• Music concerts

• Ritual art performances

• Food festival featuring the local delicacies

• Fireworks display

14 - 23: Gramam (the Kerala village fair) at Eve's beach, Kovalam, 14km from Thiruvananthapuram.  An entire Kerala village is recreated by the beach, during this ten day long festival.  The traditional nalukettu (the quadrangular upper class house with a central open courtyard) and its premises become the venue of the fair, where the culture, arts and crafts of Kerala come alive.  The village teashop serves typical Kerala cuisine.

Festival highlights:

• Arts and crafts fair

• Kathakali

• Thiruvathirakali

• Mohiniattam

• Oppana

• Kalaripayattu

• Sarpapattu

• Theyyam

• Kummattikali

• Kakkarisi natakam

• Panchavadyam

• Chakyarkoothu

• Ottanthullal

18: Gajamela at Parthasarathy Temple, Adoor, near Adoor KSRTC bus stand (92 km from Thiruvananthapuram).

Festival highlights:

• Grand elephant procession to Chennapalli Temple, 3 km away.

Deity of the temple: Sree Krishna

20: Concluding day of the ten day annual Arthunkal Perunnal (the feast of St. Sebastian) at St. Andrew's Forance Church, 15 km from Alappuzha.

Festival highlights:

• Ritual offering by which devoteescrawl on their knees all the way from the nearby beach to the church

• Ceremonial procession from the church to the beach

Patron of the Church: St. Andrew

21: Thaipooya Mahotsavam at Sree Subramanya Swamy Temple, Haripad

Festival highlights:

• Thaipooyam Kavadiyattam

• Chuttuvilakku

Deity of the temple: Sree Subramnya

21: Annual seven day Thaipooya Mahotsavam at Sree Maheswara Temple, Koorkencherry, 2 km from Thrissur.

Festival highlights:

• Spectacular Kavadiyattom

• Grand elephant procession

• Karakattom

• Mayilattam

Deity of the temple: Lord Siva

22 - 30: Flower Show at Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds, Thiruvananthapuram.  A rare collection of flowers and plants - roses, anthurium, orchids, indoor plants and so on.

Festival highlights:

• Floral decorations

• Cultural programmes

• Fashion shows

• Contests etc.

23 - 30: International Contemporary Dance Festival at Kochi.

Festival highlights:

• Assemblage of choreographers and artistes from India, Europe and the Far East

27 - 02 February: Swathi Sangeethotsavam at Kuthiramalika Palace, Thiruvananthapuram.  The annual classical music festival is organised by the government of Kerla.  The seven day music fest is conducted in honour of the great poet king of the erstwhile Travancore dynasty - Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma - who composed most of his works in this palace.

Festival highlights:

• An august gathering of eminent musicians from across India present Indian classical music in the lamp lit precincts of the palace.

27 - 05 February: Ten day annual Utsavam at Sree Parthasarathy Temple, Aranmula (10 km from Chengannur).

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyettam

• Ritual art performances

• Kathakali on the sixth night

• Pallivetta

• Arattu.

Deity of the temple: Sree Krishna

February 2000

01 - 07: Gramam (the Kerala village fair) at Kochi.  This is similar to the one held at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram in January.  An entire Kerala village is recreated during the ten day long festival.  The traditional nalukettu (the quadrangular upper class house with a central open courtyard) and its premises become the venue of the fair, where the culture, arts and crafts of Kerala come alive.  The village teashop serves typical Kerala cuisine.

Festival highlights:

• Arts and crafts fair

• Kathakali

• Thiruvathirakali

• Mohiniyattam

• Oppana

• Kalaripayattu

• Sarpapattu

• Theyyam

• Kummattikali

• Kakkarisi natakam

• Panchavadyam

• Chakyarkoothu

• Ottanthullal

02 - 06: Malabar Pepper Fest at Kozhikode.  This is an annual event and a rallying point for people in the spice trade from all over the world, gourmets and gastronomic experts to explore the spice coast.  The fair is conducted during the pepper harvest season.

06: The annual Pattambi Nercha at Pattambi Mosque. 61 km from Palakkad.  The festival is held in memory of Aloor Valiya Pookunjikoya Thangal, a Muslim saint of Malabar.  The entire town is brilliantly illuminated during the festival.

Festival highlights:

• Pageants of 70 - 80 caparisoned tuskers, one of the largest elephant pageants in India

• Panchavadyam

• Tayambaka

• Procession of colourful floats which concludes late at night on the banks of the Bharathapuzha

• Folk art performances

• Fireworks display

07 - 16: Annual ten day Utsavam at Mahadevar Temple, Ettumanur, 12 km from Kottayam.

Festival highlights:

• All night Kathakali performances on the first four days

• Velakali on the first eight days

• Ezharaponnana ezhunnallathu (exposition and procession of the seven golden elephants, six of them 2ft high and one half the height, presented to the temple by the Maharajah of Travancore in 1759)

• Arattu

Deity of the temple: Lord Siva

13 - 18: Five day annual Machattu Mamangam at Machatu Thiruvanikavu Temple, 3 km from Vadakancherry, Thrissur

Festival highlights:

• Richy decorated Kuthirakolams (motifs of horses) are ceremoniously brought to the temple by the devotees as offering.

• Chendamelam

• Pageatries

• Cultural programmes

Deity of the temple: Lord Siva

17 - 25: Annual ten day UTSAVAM at Sreekrishna Temple.

Guruvayoor, 30 km from Thrissur.

Festival highlights:

• Rituals

• Elephants race

• Cultural programmes

• Krishnanattam

Deity of the temple: Sree Krishna

18 - 27: Ten day annual Utsavam at Sree Vallabha Temple, Thiruvalla.

Festival highlights:

• Kathakali is performed in this temple almost every night and Velakali, every afternoon of the year

• Pallivetta on the ninth day of the festival

Deity of the temple: Lord Vishnu

19: Pooram at Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy Temple, Palappuram, 5 km from Ottappalam, Palakkad.

Festival highlights:

• Procession of 33 caparisoned elephants

• Panchavadyam

• Velattu

• Thira / Theyyam

• Pootham

• Kaalavela

• Kuthiravela

• Aandi Vedan

• Karivela

• Tholpavakoothy on 17 days prior to the festival

• Kumbhamkali

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

19: Chottanikkara Makam the annual nine day festival at Sree Rajarajeswari Temple, Chotanikkara, 12 km from Ernakulam.

Festival highlights:

• Arattu every day of the festival

• Makamthozhal (special rite) on the seventh day

• Pooram on the eighth day, with five caparisoned elephants accompanied by temple ensembles

• Grand fireworks display

• Temple art forms

• Cultural programmes

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

20: Annual Pongala Utsavam (to which only women are allowed) at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram.

Festival highlights:

• Preparation of pongala by thousands of women devotees in the temple courtyard

• The chief priest of the temple goes around carrying the sword of the Goddess, blesses the devotees, sprinkles holy water and flower petals on them

• Procession of deity's idol

• Thalapoli

• Kuthiyottam

• Caparisoned elephants

• Chendamelam

• Nadaswaram

• Kumbhamkudam

• Classical music recitals

• Bharatanatyam

• Mohiniattam

• Kathakali

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

20: Annual seven day Pooram at Pariyanampetta Bhagavathy Temple, Kattukulam 40 km from Palakkad.

Festival highlights:

• Tholpavakoothu

• Kalamezhuthupattu

• Pootham

• Thira

• Karivela

• Kaalavela

• Kuthiravela

• Kathakali

• Chakyarkoothu

• Ceremonial procession of 21 elephants on the last day

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

21 - 27: Nishagandhi Dance Festival at Nishagandhi open air theatre, Kanakakunnu Palace grounds, Thiruvananthapuram.  A week long festival of Indian classical dances

• Kathakali

• Mohiniyattam

• Bharathanatyam

• Kathak

• Kuchupudi

• Manipuri

• Odissi

• Specially choreographed ballet combining one or more of these classical dance forms

22 - 29: Annual Uthralikavu Pooram at Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu (Uthralikavu), Parithipra, Vadakancherry, Thrissur.  This is one of the most prominent festivals in central Kerala

Festival highlights:

• Elephant processions during the day and at night

• Temple and folk art performances

• Panchavadyam

• Pandimelam

• All night pooram on the concluding day in the glow of temple torches called Theevatti

Deity of the temple: Goddess Kali

24 - 27: Theyyam Festival at Kuttikkol Thampuratti Bhagavathy Temple

25 - 05 March: Annual ten day Utsavam at Paripally Kodimootil Sree Bhadrakali Temple, Paripally, 48 km north of Thiruvananthapuram.  Elephants are offered as nercha (ritual offering for prosperity) by individuals and institutions.  Today over 50 elephants participate in the ritual procession.

Festival highlights:

• Evening cultural programmes

• Gajamela (elephant pageant) on the 10th day

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhadrakali

March 2000

04: Aluva Sivarathri (the night of Lord Siva) at Siva Temple, on the banks of the river Periyar at Aluva, 16 km from Ernakulam.

Festival highlights:

• Night long reading of the puranas and other holy texts

• Rural trade fiar

• Cultural programmes

• Vavubali (ritual in honour of the forefathers) at dawn, the following day

10: Annual Bharani Utsavam at Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, 5 km from Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district.

Festival highlights:

• Almost all the folk arts of south Kerala are presented at this festival

• Kettukazhcha procession

• Kuthiottam

• Padayani

• Kolkali

• Ammankudam

• All night Kathakali performance

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

11 - 13: Kakkoor Kalavayal at Kakkoor, 10 km from Piravam, Ernakulam district.  The Kalavayal (cattle fair) is a traditional post harvest festival of the peasants of Kakoor.  The centuries old festival also has some religious legend connected to it.  It is believed that the deities of the two neighbouring villages - Edapara and Ambasseri -  are sisters and they meet annualy at the Kalavayal

• Exhibition of agricultural products, implements and other traditional crafts

• Folk art performances

• Music concerts

• Elephant processions

• Spectacular bullock cart race on the concluding day

13 - 20: Annual seven day Utsavam at Sree Karthyayini Temple, Cherthala, Alappuzha (on the Ernakulam - Alappuzha route)

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyettam

• Arattu

• Elephant pageantry

• Panchavadyam

• Chendamelam

• Ritual art performances

• Kathakalui

Deity of the temple: Goddess Karthyayini

18: Concluding day of the annual seven day Arattupuzha Pooram at Arattupuzha Temple, 14 km from Thrissur.

Festival highlights:

• Paraveppu

• Pooram on the sixth day with sixty one elephants arrayed on the temple grounds

• Panchavadyam

• Nadaswaram

• Pancharimelam

• Pandimelam

• Arattu

Deity of the temple: Sree Ayyappa

19: Annual Utsavam at Janardhana Swamy Temple, Varkala, 55 km from Thiruvananthapuram.

Festival highlights:

• Rituals

• Pallivetta

• Arattu procession with five caparisoned elephants

• All night Kathakali performance on fourth and fifth days

Deity of the temple: Lord Vishnu

20 - 23: Kondotti Nercha at Kondotti Mosque on the Kozhikode - Malappuram route, 35 km from Kozhikode.  The mosque dates back to the 18th century and is popularly known as the Pazhayangadi mosque.  It is associated with the Muslim saint Mohammad Shah who is famous as Kondotti Thangal.  The Valia Nercha (great vow) festival attracts large crowds of devotees from all over Kerala.

21 - 30: Annual ten day Utsavam at Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, Ambalapuzha, Alappuzha district.  The daily offering of palpayasam (deliciously sweet milk porridge) at this temple is famous all over Kerala.

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyattam

• Ambalapuzha Velakali in the afternoons

• Padayani performances at night

• The community feast, Natakasala Sadhya

• Ritual procession

• Ambanattu Panikkar community, bringing pots of honey as ritual offering to the deity)

• Pallivetta

• Procession of caparisoned elephants

Deity of the temple: Sree Krishna

24: Annual Utsavam at Poruvazhi Malandam Temple, 12 km from Adoor, Pathanamthitta district.  This is perhaps the only temple in India that is dedicated to Dhuryodhana, the Antagonist in the epic Mahabharata.

Festival highlights:

• Folk art performances

• Colourful Kettukazhcha procession with Kaala (bull motif), Kuthira vela (horse motif) and decorated temple chariot

Deity of the temple: Dhuryodhana

31 - 05 April: Kottakkal Pooram at Sree Viswambara Temple, Kottakkal, Malappuram district.

Festival highlights:

• Chakyarkoothu

• Ottanthullal

• Panchavadyam

• Nigh long Kathakali performances

• Music concerts

Deity of the temple: Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as Dhanvantari

April 2000

03: Nenmara - Vallangi Vela, Palakkad

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyattam

• Kalamezhuthupattu performance for 20 days

• 30 elephants from the two villages assemble at the Nallikulangara Bhagavathy temple under lavishly decorated towering canopies

• Kanniyarkali

• Panchavadyam

• Pandimelam

• Pulikali

• Karivela

• Andi Nayadi

• Fireworks display

Deities of the temples: Nenmara - Goddess Bhagavathy; Vallangi - Lord Siva

07: Annual eight day Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam at Sarkara Devi Temple, Chirayinkeezhu, 18 km from Thiruvananthapuram.

Festival highlights:

• The festival commemorates the fight between the demon Darika and Godess Durga.

• This event is enacted in a thrilling ritual performance known as Paranettu.

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

07: Bharani festival at Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple, Kodungalloor, 50 km from Kochi.  This festival attracts the largest congregation of Velichappadu (oracles) from all over Kerala.

Festival highlights:

• Cultural programmes

• Devotional rites

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

08 - 11: Malayatoor Perunnal (the annual feast on the Sunday after Easter) at the Shrine of St. Thomas, Malayatoor, 52 km from Kochi.

Festival highlights:

• Pilgrims climb the 2000 ft high hill to worship at the church, chanting hymns

• Devotional rites held in the open air

• Cultural programmes

08 - 17: Annual ten day Utsavam at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyattam

• Pallivetta

• Colourful Arattu Procession escorted by the members of the Travancore royal family

• Pooja

• Cultural programmes

• Kathakali

Deity of the temple Lord Vishnu

13 - 22: Ten day annual Mamangam at Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple, Near Ponnani, Malappuram.

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyettam

• Krishnanattam

• Bharatanatyam

• Kathakali

Deity of the temple: Navamukunda (Lord Vishnu)

14 - 24: Kadamanitta Padayani at the Kadamanitta Devi Temple, 6 km from Pathanamthitta

Festival highlights:

• Padayani performance on the eighth day is the ritual offering to mother goddess.

Deity of the temple: Goddess Bhagavathy

May 2000

07: Edathua Perunnal at St. George Church, Edathua, 23 km from Alappuzha.  The massive shrine on the banks of the river Pamba is modelled on the medieval churches of Europe.

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyettam on the 27th April

• The idol of St. George is placed on the central dais of the basilica during the festival days

• Ceremonial procession

11: Thrissur Pooram at Thekinkadu Maidanam, Thrissur

Festival highlights:

• Pageant of 30 caparisoned elephants assembled in the precincts of the Vadakumnathan temple.  The nearby Paramekavu and Thiruvambadi temples are also participants in the festival.

• Kudamattam

• Chendamelam

• Panchavadyam

• Spectacular fireworks display

13 - 22: Annual ten Utsavam at Koodalmanikyam Temple, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur.

Festival highlights:

• Kodiyettam

• Ezhunallathu

• Pancharimelam

• Panchavadyam

• Kathakali

• Chakyarkoothu

• Arattu

• Meenoottal (ritual feeding of fish in the temple pond)

Deity of the temple: Sree Bharatha (brother of Sree Rama)

June 2000

15 - 16: Annual Ochirakali at Parabrahma Temple, Ochira, Kollam.  The temple has no shrine or presiding deity.  It is consecrated to the cosmic consciousness.  Ochirakali commemorates the war between the rulers of Kayamkulam and Ambalapuzha principalities on the Ochira Padanilam (battlefield)

Festival highlights:

• Martial art performances

• Cattle and agricultural trade fair

July  2000

14: CHAMPAKULAM BOAT RACE [Vallamkali] at Harippad, Alappuzha district. This is one of the most popular boat races of Kerala.

Festival highlights:

• Ceremonial water procession

• Spectacular water floats

• Decorated boats

• Vanchipattu (folk song of the oarsmen)

• The chundanvallom (snake boat, over 100 feet in length, with a raised prow similar to the hood of a snake) race.

August 2000

12: NEHRU TROPHY BOAT RACE, Punnamadakayal, Alappuzha. This, the greatest event on the backwaters of Kerala, is held on the second Saturday of August every year. Magnificent snakeboats compete for the prized trophy which was instituted by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India.

Festival highlights:

• Ceremonial water procession

• Spectacular water floats

• Decorated boats

• Vanchipattu

• Races of smaller country crafts

• The chundanvallom (snake boat) race.

September 2000

01: ATHACHAMAYAM Events to mark the beginning of the Onam festival on the Atham day of the Malayalam month Chingam at Tripunithura, Kochi.

Festival highlights:

• Spectacular procession of caparisoned elephants

• Colourful floats

•  Musical ensembles

• Theyyam

• Panchavadyam

• Chendamelam

• Pambamelam

• Karakattam

• Mayilattam

• Ammankudam

• Attakavadi

• Pulikali

• Kaduvakali

• Parichamuttukali

• Kolkali

01 - 10: Ten day CHANDANAKUDAM MAHOTSAVAM at Beempalli, 8 km from Thiruvananthapuram. Devotees make an offering of coins in earthern pots (kudams) which are smeared with sandal paste, hence the name chandanakudam

Festival Hightlights:

• Kodiyettam

• Ratheeb [purification ritual)

• Vadithallu

• Chandanakudom procession on the tenth day led by caparisoned elephants

• Panchavadyam

• Dharamuttu

• Plays

• Music concerts

• Spectacular fireworks display Patron of the shrine: Beema Beevi, a pious muslim lady who was blessed with extraordinary powers.

08: Concluding day of the annual eight day MANARKAD PERUNNAL at St. Mary's Church, Manarkad, near Kottayam

Festival highlights:

• Eight day ritual fast, locally called ettu noyambu

• Ceremonial procession carrying the golden cross and rows and rows of brilliantly coloured parasols, on the last three days Deity of the church; St, Mary 

09 - 15: ONAM WEEK CELEBRATIONS Onam is the annual harvest festival of Kerala. Celebrations are on for ten days, beginning with the atham day of the Malayalam month chingam.

Festival highlights:

• Floral decorations

• Elephant processions

• Thiruvathirakali

• Classical and folk dance performances

• Classical and folk music recitals

• Cultural pageants

• Water carnivals

 12: PULIKALI at the Swaraj Ground, Thrissur. Pulikali is part of the Onam celebration across the State.

Festival highlight:

On the fourth Onam day groups of people from all over Thrissur paint their bodies in the likeness of tigers and wearing tiger masks, come to the Swaraj Ground in processions and there present a grand pulikali (tiger dance).

15: ARANMULA VALLAMKALI 10 km from Chengannur. This traditional boat race conducted at Sree Parthasarathy Temple, Aranmula in connection with the Onam celebrations is more of a water fiesta than a competition.