Kerala
Festivals
In kerala, life is a celebration. Just browse through the
kerala calendar, it will reveal that this is a land where the festivals
never end, adding to the magnificance of the festivals of kerala are fleets
of caparisoned elephants, mounted by men holding white plumes swaying in the
air the - most breathtaking of kerala's visual wonders. While there is no
dearth of festivals in the state, the excitement speaks during the season of
onam, exemplified in the legendary boat races and the week - long
festivities, understandably, all these celebrations take place with a lot of
fanfare.
Onam
(Festival
Calender)Onam is the annual harvest festival of
kerala. Celebrations are on for ten days, beginning with the atham day of
the malayalam month chingam.
Highlights: Floral
decorations, Elephant processions, Thiruvathirakali, Classical and folk
dance performances, Classical and folk music recitals, Cultural pageants,
Water carnivals.
Thrissur
Pooram (Festival
Calender)This festival held at Thekinkadu Maidan at
Thrissur in the month of May.
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 (changing of umbralla from hands to hands)
Chendamelain ( kind of drums) Panchavadyam ( five typical instruments
played) Spectacular fireworks display
Champakulam
Boat Race (Festival
Calender)This is one of the most popular boat races of
kerala.
Highlights: Pceremonial 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.
Nehru
Trophy Boat Race (Alleppey) (Festival
Calender)This is 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.
Highlights:
Ceremonial water procession, Spectacular water floats, Decorated boats,
Vanchipattu, Races of smaller country crafts, Chundanvellom race.
Rajiv
Gandhi Boat Race (Alleppey) (Festival
Calender)The event is a memorial to the former prime
minister.
Highlights: Colourful water procession, Water
floats, Boat races.
Aranmula
Vallamkali (Festival
Calender)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.
Deepavali
(Festival
Calender)Another national festival. Deepavali means
the festival of lights. There are many legends connected with the festival.
Some say that it is a celebration of sree krishna's victory over the demon
narakasura; others hold that it is the day sree rama returned from exile.
Highlights: All houses are lit with rows and rows of small
earthern oil lamps. Special devotional rites to lakshmi., The goddess of
prosperity. Entire day of merrymaking and feasting. Distribution of special
deepavali sweets. Fireworks and crackers.
Christmas
(Festival
Calender)Christmas is celebrated with equal enthusiasm
by all communities in kerala.
Highlights: Stars decorate
houses right from the second week of december. Christmas trees, decoration
and festive music ring through the state. Midnight mass and special rites at
all christian churches. Social and cultural events. Fireworks and colourful
illuminations.
Indira
Gandhi Boat Race (Festival
Calender)Indira gandhi boat race on the cochin
backwaters. The race is organised as part of celebration cochin.
Highlights:
Over sixteen snake boats participate in this scintillating event.
Makaravilakku
(Festival
Calender)Makaravilakku at sree dharamasastha temple,
sabarimala. This is one of the few occasions when the temple is open to the
public.
Highlights: On the evening of makara sankranthi,
the makara vilakku/makara jyothi ( the light of kakara) is believed to be
seen on the eastern horizon. Thousands of pilgrims gather here to witness
the event. Special devotional rites Devotees are decreed to practise severe
austerities and total abstinence for 60 days before climbing the hills to
the temple.
Maramom
Convention (Festival
Calender)16 km from thiruvalla, pathanamthitta, on the
banks of river pamba in february, every year.
Highlights:
Considered the largest gathering of christians in asia, Bible study and
discourses by scholars from india and abroad, Religious readings, Hymnals,
Faith healing sessions, People arrive in country crafts (valloms)
Festivals
Calendar
(these dates should be considered only as an approximate
calendar and the dates have to be confirmed with the local authorities.)
| Festivals |
Start Date |
End Date |
Location |
| Thrissur
Pooram Thrissur |
27 - Apr - 2007 |
31 - May - 2007 |
Vadakkumnathan Temple, Thrissur,
Kerala |
| Aranmula
Boat Race Aranmula, Pathanamthitta |
30 - August - 2007 |
30 - August - 2007 |
Pampa Lake, Aranmula, Kerala |
Nehru
Trophy Boat Race
Punnamada Back water Alappuzha |
11 - Aug - 2007 |
11 - Aug - 2007 |
Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha,
Kerala |
| Champakulam
Boat Race Champakulam Alappuzha |
30 - Jun - 2007 |
30 - Jun - 2007 |
Champakulam Lake, Kerala |
Payippad
Boat Race Payippad
Near Harippad Alappuzha District |
28 - Aug - 2007 |
28 - Aug - 2007 |
Payippad Lake, Alappuzha, Kerala |
| Onam
Festival |
27 - Aug - 2007 |
27 - Aug - 2007 |
All over Kerala. |
| Attukal
pongala |
03 - Mar - 2007
|
03 - Mar - 2007 |
Attukal Bhagavathy Temple,
Thiruvananthapuram |
| Thripunithura
Athachamayam |
17 - Aug - 2007 |
17 - Aug - 2007 |
Thripunithura, Kochi, Ernakulam
district. |
Kerala Festivals Reservation Form
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Boat
Races in Kerala
