Parassinkkadavu Temple

This centre of worship and faith has in store many unique practices and rituals, and the temple architecture itself stands testimony to this aspect. The Parassinikadavu Muthappan (Siva) Temple on the banks of the Valapatnam River attracts people from all sections of the society; irrespective of religion, caste and promotes the essence of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam - The whole world is one family."

The origin of the Muthappan temple is connected to the appearance of a child who roamed the region with a string of interesting incidents and later vanished without a trace. The incidents up to the point of his disappearance later made the denizens feel the divine presence of Muthappan (Siva) who immediately erected a place of worship, which today is popularly known as the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple.

The temple is also a popular destination for travellers and pilgrims to savour the charm of Theyyam, a ritual that is performed here on a daily basis. Men adorning masks and costumes with a riot of colours perform this temple art form and it represents conflict between good and evil, with good ultimately emerging victorious.

Location: Parassinikadavu, 20 kms north of Kannur.

Nearest Railway Station: Pappinissery

Nearest major Railway Station: Kannur

Nearest Bus Station: Parassinikadavu

Nearest major Bus Stations: Taliparamba, Kannur

Nearest Airports: Mangalore(100 kms), Kozhikode (140 kms).

Uthralikavu Pooram

Uthralikavu Pooram

Uthralikkavu Pooram is a festival held at the Shri Rudhiramahakalikav temple, situated at Wadackanchery in Thrissur district. The temple’s annual Poornam festival is held during February / March every year.

As you can see, there is no dearth of festivities in Kerala. Do plan your next Kerala trip around the festival season, and join us in the celebration.

When you plan your Kerala tour package, do consult with your tour operator. He will be able to guide you and make arrangements to visit the right festival according to the season.

Vaikathashtami Festival

Vaikathashtami Festival

The Vaikathashtami Festival is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and is held during November or December at the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple.  This annual celebration held at the temple is a 12 day long affair, held during the dark lunar fortnight in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam.

The Ashtami falls on the last day, and at dusk, deities from neighbouring temples are brought in a ceremonial procession. All the deities are worshipped and offered presents, and then an Arattu is performed in a pond close to the temple. The festival also features various classical dances and cultural celebrations.

Varkala Janardhana Swamy Temple Arattu

Varkala Janardhana Swamy Temple Arattu

This temple’s annual 10-day long Arattu festival is celebrated in the month of Meenam (March-April). It commences with a Kodiyettu (Flag hoisting) on Karthika day and ends with the Arattu on Uthram day.

Thrichambaram Uthsavam

Thrichambaram Uthsavam

The Thrichambaram temple is dedicated to Sree Krishna and is located in the Taliparamba village. The temple’s annual festival lasts for 14 days from 22nd Kumbaham (February-March).

Thirunakkara Uthsavam

Thirunakkara Uthsavam

The Mahadeva Temple at Kottayam is located on the Thiruvakkara Hill. It is a famous Siva temple, known for its historical significance, antique heritage and sanctity. The temple conducts a 10-day long Arattu Utsavam in the 1st Meenam (March-April) which attracts hundreds and thousands of devotees.

Thrissur Pooram

The Thrissur Pooram is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May). The 200 year old festival displays a spectacular procession of elephants and drummers for a whole 36 hours. Unlike other temple festivals, the Thrissur Pooram is celebrated by all residents, irrespective of religion, caste or community.

Sundareshwara Temple Festival

The Shri Sundareshwara Temple was founded by Shri Narayana Guru in 1916 and it’s dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple conducts an 8-day long festival in the months of March- April every year.

Sharkara Bharani and Kaliyootu

The Sarkara Bhagavathy temple is situated in the Sarkara village, close to the Chirayinkeezhu railway station. This temple celebrates the Kaliyoottu festival in Kumbham and the Bharani festival in Meenam (February-March). Kaliyootu is actually a commemoration of the fight between Darika and Bhadrakali.

Nellikulangara Vela

The temple of Nellikulangara Bhagavathi attracts many visitors who seek to invoke the blessings of the Goddess. Their annual festival is conducted in the 20th Meenam (March-April) every year. During the festival, an image of the deity is placed on a richly attired elephant and taken on a procession. To accompany the procession, there is a live band, fireworks and a lot of pageantry.

Mannarsala Utsavam

Mannarsala UtsavamMannarsala, situated near the Sri. Subramanyaswamy temple in Haripad, is the seat of the famous temple of Nagaraja (God of Serpents). The temple itself is build in a grove and is known to have 30,000 images of snake gods. On the day of Ayilliam in the months of Kanni and Thulam (September and October), all the serpent deities in the grove and temple are taken in a procession and are offered Nurum Palum (rice flour and milk), Kuruthi (a red liquid made of turmeric and lime) and cooked rice.

Lokanarkavu Uthsavam

The Lokanarkavu Bhagavathy temple is situated at Memunda in North Kerala. It celebrates two festivals annually in the months of Vrischikam (November-December) and Meenam (March-April). The festival in Vrischikam is called Mandalavilakku and is the more important of the two.

Kuttikkol Thampuratty Theyyam

During the Kuttikkol Thampuratty Theyyam festival, the major theyyam forms of Kerala are performed amid thousands of visitors. The festival itself is a riot of colours and pageantry, making it very attractive to onlookers.

Kalapathy Ratholsavam

The Sree Viswanathaswamy Temple at Kalpathy holds an annual 7 day chariot festival, and the last three days are called the Kalpathy Ratholsavam. The 700 year old temple celebrates this festival with Vedic recitals and a massive procession of decorated temple chariots drawn through the streets by thousands of devotees.

Kumaranalloor Thrikarthika Uthsavam

Thrikkarthika is celebrated in the month of Vrischikam (November–December). On the Karthika day, devotees visit the Udayanapuram and Thrissur Vadakkunnatha temples and present their offerings. Legend has it that the gods of these two temples where enamored with the beauty of Devi as she returned from her bath. They hopped over the compound walls to look at here, and were finally met at the walls by temple priests. So, during Karthika, puja is performed over the walls of these temples. There is also a magnificent display of lights in the evening, called Karthika Vilakku, which is the highlight of the celebrations.

Koodalmanikyam Utsavam

The historic Koodalmanickam temple situated in the Manavalassery village is an architectural masterpiece. The deity, Sree Bharatha is worshiped here and the annual festival is conducted during the month of Medom (April-May).

Kodungallur Bharani Utsavam

Kodungallur Bharani UtsavamThe Bharani festival is well known for it’s spectacular event called kaavu theendal. For this ritual, oracles from various parts of the state arrive at Kodungalloor Bhagavathy temple. The men and women run around the temple in a trance, smiting their crowns with swords and proclaiming their communion with the Mother Goddess. The devotees strike the temple rafters with sticks and throw their offerings over the roof in to the inner quadrangle of the temple.

Kodiyettu Uthsavam

The Kodiyettu Utsavam is a festival dedicated to the Goddess Bhagavathy, celebrated in memory of the temple’s consecration. It commences on the Makayiram day in Vrischikam (November-December) and ends on the Uthram day.

Kappally Kumbham Thira

There is a temple about half a kilometer to the east of the Kappally palayat temple. This is the Kappally temple where the Thira festival is conducted annually from 3rd to 13th of Kumbham (February-March) every year. The most important day of the festivals is the 12th of Kumbham. The ceremonies during the first eight days are known as Vellattom. This includes a festive dance, when the devotees assuming the gulse of the deity, participate in it. The vellattom ceremony starts at 4 PM and goes up to 9 PM every day. On the day of the thira festival, the kurups of the Kappally family to whom this temple belongs proceed from Chakyeri with the temple treasures in a gorgeous procession to the temple. This is followed by another procession in which the sword and shield are carried to the temple. This procession starts from the house of an ancient house. Caparisoned elephants, pipes and drums and tradesmen in their traditional costumes lead the procession. In the rear are blacksmiths, cobblers etc. Though they do not sound any musical instrument in their procession, the cry of triumph of the procession is highly exhilarating.

At about 5 O' clock in the evening starts the thira festival. The man who assumes the gulse of the tutelar deity is led to the temple yard by the Kurups, the patrons of the temple, by clasping his hands. The actor wields a lance. The tandan (the chief of the local Thiyyas), with the liquor goblets and followed at his heels by the actor with the lance, runs around the lamp and the altar. This is known as meeth. The actor who plays the role of the deity, finally snatches the goblet from the Thandan and pretends to drink the liquor (juice of tender coconuts) to the tune of the various musical instruments and cry of victory from the crowd. On that day, representing the Lokamalayarkavu Bhagavathy, the oracle of the temple comes to Kappally flaunting his traditional silken roles and sword. He is received in the Kappally temple with due honour and respect symbolising a grand welcome to Bhagavathy. Various rites of the thira are performed during the whole night and late into the next day. Devotional songs extolling the martial prowess of the goddesses will be recited by the devotees. In addition to the immense congregation, all the members of Kappally family, wherever they are stationed, participate in the festival, offer worship to their goddess and submit their offerings to her.

Kanathur Kavu Uthsavam

The Kanathur kavu Temple in the heart of Kannur celebrates its annual festival in April each year. Thousands throng the premises to witness the Theyyattom – a dance ritual of the Goddess Mahadevi.