Due to the remarkable diversity of communities, religions and traditions in Kerala, there are a
Most of the festivals are related to a particular season and are determined according to the Kolla Varsham (the Malayalam calendar). The months in this calendar don’t exactly mirror their counterparts in the Gregorian calendar. For instance, the month of Makaram, whose first day is supposed to mark the winter solstice, is roughly around November and December.
Onam
The most well known amongst the festivals of Kerala, Onam (August–September) commemorates the harvest season. The 10-day-long celebration is famous for snake boat races, onakalikal (sports and games), pookalam (designs made of flower petals), Thiruvathirakali (a traditional dance form) and Onam sadya (an elaborate vegetarian feast consisting of nine courses and a dozen dishes).
Christmas
Due to the large population of Christians in Kerala, Christmas is one of the most popular festivals in the state. It is celebrated with fervour in the traditional manner – Christians attend midnight mass in elaborately decorated churches, models of the nativity scene are put up in homes and churches, carolers go around neighbourhoods singing and sumptuous feasts featuring meat-based dishes and Christmas cake are prepared.
Kodungalur Bharani
After the harvest season, thousands of velichipads (oracles), who are mostly from marginalized communities, descend upon the Bhagvathy Temple at Kodungalur. Clad in fiery red attire and brandishing swords, the oracles dance and run entranced. As a part of the ritual, they hurl offerings from the roof of the temple and sing obscene songs. With its amalgam of mysticism and sensuality, Kodungalur Bharani (March–April) is quite unlike any other temple festival.
Sabarimala Mandala Pooja
The Sabarimala Temple, with Ayappa as the presiding deity, is the most renowned pilgrimage centre in Kerala. The annual pilgrimage to Sabarimala begins in the mandalakala season (November–December). Devotees undertake vratham – forsaking meat, alcohol, sex and other pleasures – for 41 days and then go to Sabarimala to perform the Mandala Pooja. The pilgrims are conspicuous because of their black mundus (Indian sarong) which have to be worn as part of the ritual. Before the Mandala Pooja, a four-day-long procession bearing the Thanka Anki (sacred gold shawl used to adorn the deity) arrives at Sabarimala from the Parthasarathy temple in Aranmula.
Pooram
Annual festivals in temples dedicated to the goddesses Durga or Kali are known as poorams. Celebrated after the summer harvest, they feature processions of caparisoned elephants crowned with embroidered umbrellas and splendid displays of fireworks. The revelries are popular with devotees as well as tourists. Each temple has a unique pooram, with its own set of rituals and practices. The Thrissur Pooram (April–May) is considered the largest and most famous of all poorams.
Boat Races
With numerous backwaters, lakes and rivers, watersports – and most notably, Vallamkali (boat racing) – are a major attraction of the state. There are a variety of boats used, but it is the snake boat that has become emblematic of the sport. They are so called because their large raised sterns resemble the hood of a snake. They extend up to 100ft and can support as many as 90 to 100 people. With large lines of rowers simultaneously wielding their oars and singing energetically to keep up the frenzied rhythm, the races are a delight to watch.
The boat-racing season begins in Champakulam, Alappuzha District in June–July.
Maramon Convention
Every February, the dry sand beds of the Pamba River host one of the largest Christian conventions in the world. Founded in 1895 by the missionary wing of the Mar Thoma church, the weeklong Maramon Convention features religious seminars, concerts and other events that attract as many as 20 million visitors from all over the world.
Koratty Muthy’s Feast
Celebrated on the first Sunday after 10 October, the Koratty Muthy’s (as the Virgin Mary is locally known) feast is held at the St. Mary’s Church in the town of Koratty in Thrissur District. More than a million people participate in the festival. Various religious events take place in the days leading up to the feast, after which there is a grand procession with heavy percussion. The offerings are mainly Poovan Kula (a kind of plantain). Thulabharam – where devotees make offerings weighing as much as themselves, an act which symbolises complete surrender of the self to Mary – is an important part of the ritual.
Kondotty Nercha
A weeklong Nercha (February– March) is held at the Pazhayangadi mosque in Kondotty, Malappuram District. The festival is celebrated in the memory of local Muslim leaders who died during a fight with Para Nambisan, a petty chieftain of the region.
Ochirakali
Ochirakali (June–July) is a martial arts festival held over two days at the Parabrahma temple in Ochira, Kollam District. It commemorates a historical battle between the Ayamkulam and Ambalapuzha kingdoms and also heralds the arrival of the monsoons. The highlight of the festival is a simulated battle between two groups wielding cane sticks or swords. The participants perform a choreographed dance on the lines of Kalaripayattu in a waterlogged field, splashing through the muddy water with each energetic move.
Thiruvathira
While its origins are unclear, Thiruvathira (December–January) is believed to commemorate the death of Kamadevan, the god of love. It is celebrated mainly by females. According to tradition, unmarried women who observe the Thiruvathira vratham (abstinence) will find a good husband and married women who do so contribute to the welfare of their husbands. The festival is famous for Thiruvathirakali – a group dance of young women around a brass lamp – although the dance is now performed on other occasions as well.
Thunchan Festival
Thunchan Ramanujan Ezhuthchan, a 16th century poet, is considered the ‘father of the Malayalam language’. Every year, a popular literature festival (January–February) is held at his birthplace – Thunchan Paramba in Tirur. Thousands come from all over the state to enjoy literary discussions, seminars and book launches.
Vishu
Vishu (April) heralds the new year as per the Malayalam calendar. The highlight of the festival is Vishukanni – the offerings made to the deity which consists of items such as flowers, rice, fruits, vegetables, lamps and gold coins. It is customary to buy new clothes and give charity on this auspicious occasion.
Malanada Kettukazcha
The Poruvazhi Malanada temple in Adoor hosts the spectacular Malanada Kettukazcha, a festival where large processions bearing decorated structures are taken out. These structures, some of which are as tall as 70–80ft, are richly embellished and display exquisite craftsmanship. They are carried on the shoulders of devotees or taken out in chariots.
The temple itself is quite unique as it does not have any idol or sanctum sanctorum.
Attukal Pongala
The Attukal Bhagvathy temple was featured in the Guiness World Records as the site of the largest gathering of women (about 2.5 million) for a religious activity. Pongala is a dessert made of rice, coconut and nuts that is offered to Attukalamma, the temple’s presiding deity. Only women can participate in the rituals of Attukal Pongala (February–March).
Festivals Calendar: A Quick Glance
JANUARY–FEBRUARY
■ Arthunkal Perunnal, St Andrews Forane Church at Arthunkal in Alappuzha District
■ Great Elephant March from Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram
■ Kodikuthu Festival, at Kanjiramattom Mosque in Ernakulam
■ Nilambur Pattu at Nilambur in Malappuram District
■ Nishagandhi Dance & Music Festival at Thiruvananthapuram
■ Parthasarthy Gajamela at Adoor in Pathanamthitta District
■ Swathi Sangeetolsavam, Classical music festival at Kuthiramalika Palace, East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram
■ Thaipooya Mahotsavam, Subrahmanya Swamy Temple at Haripad in Alappuzha District and at Sree Maheshwara Temple in Thrissur
■ Thiruvappana, Parassini Kadavu Temple in Kannur District
■ Thunchan Festival at Tirur in Malappuram District
FEBRUARY–MARCH
■ Attukal Pongala, Attukal Bhagavathy Temple near Thiruvananthapuram
■ Chinakkathoor Pooram, Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy Temple at Palappuram in Palakkad District
■ Chitoor Kongan Pada at Bhagvathy temple in Chittoor
■ Theruvath Palli Nercha in Palakkad district
■ Pattambi Nercha at Pattambi mosque in Palakkad District
■ Kettukazhcha at Chettikulangara in Alappuzha District
■ Maramon Convention at Maramon in Pathanamthitta District
MARCH–APRIL
■ Arattupuzha Pooram at Arattupuzha in Thrissur District
■ Bharani Festival Bhagavathy Temple at Kodungalloor in Thrissur District
■ Kettukazhcha Malanada Temple near Adoor in Pathanamthitta District
■ Kodiyettu, Ashtami Festival and elephant races at Guruvayur’s Krishna Temple, Thrissur District
■ Nenmara Vellangi Vela, Nellikulangara Bhagavathy Temple at Nenmara in Palakkad District
■ Kondotty Nercha, Pazhayangadi Mosque at Kondotty in Malappuram District
■ Sivarathri Mahotsavam of Kashi Viswanathan Temple at Cheriazheekal in Kollam District
■ Thrissur Pooram, Vadakkunathan Kshetram in Thrissur
■ Trichambaram Mahotsav at Taliparamba, Kannur
APRIL–MAY
■ Edathua Feast St George’s Forane Church in Alappuzha District
■ Pooram at Kottiyur Ikkara Shiva Temple in Kannur District
■ Sankaracharya Jayanthy at Kalady in Ernakulam District
■ Thutha Pooram at Thutha in Palakkad District
JUNE–JULY
■ Champakulam Boat Race at Champakulam in Alappuzha District
■ Ochirakali martial arts festival at Ochira Temple, Kollam District
■ Prathishtadinam at Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta District
AUGUST–SEPTEMBER
■ Ashtamirohini All Krishna temples including Guruvayur, Ambalapuzha, Aranmula and Adoor
■ Neelemperoor Patayani at Pallibhagavathy Temple in Neelemperoor, Kottayam District
■ Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the Punnamada Backwaters in Alappuzha
■ Nellu Nira festival of Iyers and Puthari paddy harvest festival at Kuttiatoor in Kasargod District
■ Onam All over Kerala
■ Payippad Boat Race, Payippad, near Haripad in Alappuzha District
OCTOBER–NOVEMBER
■ Chandanakudam at Beemapally, Thiruvananthapuram
■ Deepavali All over Kerala
■ Koratty Muthy’s Feast St Mary’s Forane Church at Koratty in Thrissur
■ Mahanavami Dance and Music Festival, Thiruvananthapuram
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER
■ Ekadasi at Guruvayur and Thriprayar temples in Thrissur District
■ Kalpathy Ratholsavam at Kalpathy Agraharam in Palakkad District
■ Panthranduvilakku Mahotsavam at Ochira Temple in Kollam District
DECEMBER–JANURAY
■ Christmas All over Kerala
■ Cochin Carnival at Fort Kochi
■ Makara Vilakku at Sabarimala
■ Mandalapooja Sri Dharmasastha Temple, Kulathupuzha, Kollam District
■ Sivagiri Festival at Varkala
■ Kanathoor Nalvar Bhoothasthanam Theyyam Festival at Kasargod
Champakulam Moolam
Christmas
festivals