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Onam-The National Festival of Kerala | Vishu | Navarathri | Mahasivarathri | Makaravillakku at Sabarimala | Thrikarthika | Thiruvathira | Christmas | Easter | Ramadan | Eid-Ul-Fitr | Eid-Ul-Zuha | Milad-Ul-Nabi | Muharram | Gramam(Village Fair) | The Great Elephant March | Nishagandhi Dance Festivals | Flavour Food Festival | Attukal Pongala | Vetta and Arattu | Sarkara Devi Temple, Chirayinkeezhu | Sree Subramanya Swamy Temple, Ulloor | Aruvippuram Siva Temple, Aruvippuram | Thiruvambadi Sree Krishna Temple | Christ the King Church | Beemapalli, Trivandrum
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| Fairs and Festivals |
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Among the innumerable festivals that take place all over Kerala, almost all the prominent ones are connected with religious institutions. The Utsavas of the Hindu temples and the Perunals of Christian and Muslim churches are of utmost importance to the community.
There are certain festivities like the boat races, which originated to commemorate religious events but subsequently turned out to be events of social importance.
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The colorful mosaic of Kerala festivals and fairs is as diverse as the land, is an expression of the spirit of celebration, that is an essential part of the State.
Observed with enthusiasm and gaiety, festivals are like gems, ornamenting the crown of Kerala tradition and culture.
Round the year the fests keep Kerala life vibrant and interludes in the mundane affairs of life.
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Every season turns up new festivals, each a true celebration of the bounties of nature. The festivals exhibits an eternal harmony of spirit. Packed with fun and excitement, festivals are occasions to clean and decorate houses, to get together with friends and relatives and to exchange gifts.
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New attire, dance, music and ritual, all add to their joyful rhythm. It is a time for prayer, for pageantry and processions.....a time to rejoice. The important fairs and festivals in the state are:
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Onam-The National Festival of Kerala
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Kerala's most important festival, honouring King Mahabali, a mythological king of ancient Kerala, whose period was reckoned as the golden age in the history of the state.
He was the embodiment of virtues, goodness, so was his regime which was marked by equality and harmony among people.
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The golden age was abruptly ended when Mahabali was unseated by Vamana, the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu.
However, Vamana was lenient to accede Mahabali's request that he be permitted to visit the land and his people once a year. The time allowed for the visit was the 10th day in the month of Chingam, (first Malayalam month, August- September).
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| His visit is celebrated as Onam which sync with the harvest season in Kerala.The 10-days festival is supposed to begin from the lunar asterism Atham and culminate in asterism Thiruvonam. |
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Onam is marked by festivity. Flower carpet is being prepared in the front yard of every house. Special prayers are offered in temples. .
Delicious dinner is the USP of Onam celebration. Traditional food is served on plantain leaves. An emotional string is attached to this festival since Keralites living elsewhere in the world make it a point to reach their native place to join the gala.
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Vishu
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Vishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala. It comes in the month of April. According to the old traditional Malayalam calendar it is the 1st day of the New Year.
'Kani-Kanal' is the main event of the day. The night before Vishu, the mistress of the house prepare the Kani. In big pots, coconuts, fruits, cereals and Konna flower is kept. Behind the pot a mirror and the garlanded deity of Krishna is kept.
Around the deity, lighted lamps will be arranged. Early morning on the Vishu day, the master of the house sees the Kani and then the rest of the family follows. Children's are brought blind folded from their beds to where the Kani is kept.
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The elder in the family give money to the youngsters and bless them. It is believed that the Kani we see and its good tidings will stay with you till the year ends. In Kerala the Kani in the temples of Guruvayur, Ambalapuzha and Sabarimala are famous.
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Navarathri
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This is the Durga Puja of Bengal, Dussera of Bombay , the Saraswati Puja and the Ayudha Puja of the south. Its entire course runs over 9 days. It is the last three days that are most important. These are known as Durga Ashtami, Mahanavami and Vijaya Dasami.
On the night of the Durga Ashtami day, there is the ceremony known as 'Puja Vayppu'. It consist in decorating a room splendidly, illuminating it with many lights and arranging on a platform, raised in the middle of the room, the things necessary for doing Puja to Saraswati, the goddess of learning.
Books and weapons of various kinds are tastefully arranged and a picture or image of the goddess placed in the centre. The worship then commences with accompaniment of music. This goes on night and day till the morning of the third day, when the 'Puja Eduppu' or breaking up of the Puja takes place.
After the performance of special religious service, the arrangements on the platform are formally removed and the Puja broke up. Then follows the 'Vidyarambham' or the beginning of learning.
On the last three days of Puja, all sorts of learning are kept in abeyance; no one will read or write or do any handicraft or work with any material. Every sort of business is at a stand still. After the Removal of Puja, work commences. During the Puja Vayppu people generally fast.
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Mahasivarathri
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Mahasivarathri the great night of Siva is celebrated in Kumbam (February- March). It commemorates the day on which Lord Siva consumed the deadly poison Kalakuda Visham to save the world from destruction.The day is celebrated by the offering of special pooja and abhishekhams and the presentation of cultural programmes in all the Siva Temples.
The Annual Sivarathri Festival held on the banks of Periyar at Alwaye is one of the most spectacular local festivals of Kerala, which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the State. It has been compared to the Kumbamela at Prayag.
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