Located
at the southernwestern tip of the Indian peninsula, Kerela celebrates scores
of exotic and important festivals throughout the year. It celebrates about a
hundred festivals during the Malayalam months of Kunibhan, Meenam and Medan.
Onam :
Onam, the harvest festival is the most popular festival of Kerala. A
festival that celebrates a happy blend of myth and reality, Onam is part of
the cultural repertoire of every Malayalee. It brings back nostalgic
memories, carried on the wings of folklore, of a bygone Utopian era of
prosperity, equality and righteousness, under the golden reign of Mahabali.
Year after year, for centuries, the people of Kerala, irrespective of caste,
creed or colour, join together to welcome back their vanquished king. The
ten-day Onam festival falls in August-September, coinciding with the
beginning of the harvest season.
Vallamkali or Boat Races :
This is the biggest snake boat race in the world and is organized at the
Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha. This annual water carnival attracts a large
number of tourists and is a spectacular treat for them. The snake boats with
about 100 oarsmen plough the water with marvelous symphony. Former Prime
Minister, Jawarhar Lal Nehru instituted the Nehru Trophy and this event is
organized annually to commemorate his visit here in 1952. The water
carnivals and snake boat races herald the week-long festival of Onam.
Pooram :
Every temple in Kerala celebrates festive occasions with religious devotion
and joy. One of the most important temples in Kerala is the Vadakkananthan
Temple at Thrissur. The Thrissur Pooram or Temple Festival of the
Vadakkananthan Temple, is the grandest Temple Festival in Kerala.
Sabarimala
Temple Festival :
Celebrated in the honour of Lord Ayyapa, the Sabarimala Temple Festival is
organized at the Ayyappa Temple of Sabarimala in the Western Ghats of
Kerela. The pilgrimage is undertaken between November and January and
devotees perform strict austerities and penance during this period. There
are two main rituals called the Mandal Puja and the Makara Sankranti Puja is
celebrated from November to mid-January in Kerala. The most important day of
this festival is the Makkara Vilakku day when a light is seen on a
neighboring hill as a sign of the presence of the deity.
Edatua Perunnal :
The massive shrine of Edathua is situated on the banks of Pamba river, 23
kms south-east of Alappuzha. The annual feast starts on the 27th of April
with the hoisting of the flag and concludes on the 7th of May. During the
celebration, the statue of St George at shrine of Edatua, which resembles
the churches of medieval Europe, is decorated in gold regalia, is carried
out and placed on the dais in the centre of the basilica.
Cochin Carnival :
Cochin Carnival is a gleeful feast held during the last week of every year
in Fort Kochi in Kerala. The carnival has a party-like atmosphere with
various unique games and competitions that adds to the festivity.
Flavour Food Festival :
The national food festival is held annually in Thiruvananthapuram from 5th
to 11th April. This week long festival is an opportunity for the food
connoisseurs to taste the traditional cuisine of Kerela and India. Many
renowned hotels from across Kerela participate in this festival.
Jagannatha Festival :
The colourful Jagannath Festival is an eight-day long festival which is
held at the Jagannatha Temple at Madathiparambu, near Thalassery in Kannur.
The festival is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Kunibham
(February/March). The seventh day of the festival is considered to be the
most auspicious. The event is marked by religious conferences, participated
by distinguished scholars and social reformers, elephant processions,
fireworks display and cultural programmes.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race :
Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the annual water carnival at Punnamada Lake in
Alappuzha is considered as the biggest snake boat race in the world. The
colourful boat pageantry, which precedes the boat race, is a marvelous treat
to the onlookers. The snake boats with 100 to 120 oarsmen plough the waters
to the tune of the legendary songs.
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