kerala festivals
Kerala has its own festivals and festivities which invest the state
with a unique atmosphere of gaiety and charm. And Kerala has so many of them that no one can probably have better festive calender than Kerala. Some of
Kerala''s innumerable festivals, however stand out because of their uniqueness.
Onam : Onam The most typical Kerala Festival, which confides with
the month of harvest season is an occasion for spontaneous revelry. It falls in the month of Chingam( August-September). It celebrates the home coming of
Mahabali, the legendary king who ruled over Kerala in an age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions(Patala) by vishnu in the form of
Vamana.
Onam is being celebrated as a Natioanl Festival under Government auspices. It synchronies with the tourist week celebrations in the
state.The Onam celebrations starts formally on the day of Atham asterism. The image of Thrikkara Appan( VIshnu in the form of Vamana) is installed in every
hindu home during the Onam season. Children go around collecting flowers for the decoration of the front portion of their house in different designs and
forms which change from day to day. The most important days of the Onam festival are Uthradom and Thiruvonam days. On the later, a grand feast is held in
every home. Onam also provides an occasion for family gettogethers for the Keralites.
Hindu Religious Festivals:
Navarathri festival
which is called Dasara in Karnataka and Kali Pooja in Bengal is celebrated as Saraswathy Pooja in the State. Saraswathy is worshipped as Goddess of Learning.
On the Durgashstami Day, the Pooja Veppu is performed when all sorts of study and are put aside. The Vijayadasami Day is observed as the day for the break up
of the Pooja and the initiation of children into the study of the alphabet. Work and study are then resumed.
Mahasivarathri, the great night of
Siva, is celebrated in Kumbam (February-March). It commemorates the day on which Lord Siva consumed the deadly poison Kalakudam Visham to save the world from
destruction. The day is celebrated by the offering of special poojas and abhishekhams and the presentation of cultural programmes in all the Siva Temples.
The annual Siavarathri Festival held on the banks of Periyar at Alwaye is one of the most spectacular local fesivals of Kerala which attracts thousands of
pilgrims from all over the state.It has been compared to the Kumbamela at Prayag.
Ashtami Rohini, the birth day of Sri Krishna is of great
importance. It is celebrated in the month of Chingam(August-September). Devotees visit the Krishna or Vishnu temples where special pooja and cultural
programmes are held.
Thrikarthika is another festival which is celebrated in the month of Vrichikom(November-December). Display of lights in the
evening is an important part of the festival.
Deepavali, the of light is celebrated by the display of fire works and bursting of
crackers.
The 41 day Mandalam season beginning with the first day of the month of Vrischikom (November-December) is sacred to the Hindus. The 41st
day which coincides with the Makaravilakku in Sabarimala is the concluding day of the festival. The observance of certain vrathams of fasts is resorted to
which the Hindu consider sacred to certain deities. The most important of these is Ekadasi considered sacred to to certain deities. The most important of
these is Ekadasi considered sacred to Vishnu. At the Sri Krishna Temple, Guruvayoor, The Great Ekadasi festival is held annually for five days in the month
of Vrischikom(November-December). Sashti the sixth day is sacred to Subramanya and Pradosham the thirteenth day to Shiva. Devotees spend these days in
fasting and devotional exercises. Full moon is also observed as a day of fast. The New Moon days in Makaram(January-February) and Karkatakam(July-August) are
particularly important for the performance of Sradha. Karkataka VAvu is almost like a festival day in Trivandrum.
The Vallamkali or boat regatta is
typical of Kerala. It is held in August in the Punnamada Kayal which commemorates the visit of Prime Minister Nehru to Alleppy. Similar boat-races are also
being held at Aranmula and Chambakulam which have a religious significance. The latter commemmorates an episode involving the idol of Sree Krishna which was
lifted from Kurichi by the Chempakasseri Raja''s men for consecration in the Ambalappuzha Temple. The idol had to rest in the house of Syrian Christian at
Chambakulam. Even today the flag and coir rope required for the Chambakulam boat race are supplied from the local Kallurkad church.
There are also
other temple festivals which have local importance. The Sree Padmanabha Temple has two Arattu Festivals, one in Thulam(October-November) and the other in
Meenam (March-April) lasting for ten days. The festival ends with the Arattu Procession of the deity with the Maharaja of Travancore at its
head.
Attukal in Trivandrum City is famous for its nine day Pongal festival in the month of Kumbham. THe highlight of the festival is on the 9th
day when several thousand women assemble in the temple premises and cook the Pongala as an offering to Bhagavathy.
Christian Religious
Festivals:
Christmas and Easter are the main festivals of Christians.Christmas falls on December 25th and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
Holy Mass is held in all churches in the State. The Christmas Tree is decorated in churches and homes. The appearance of Santa Claus and the distribution of
presents are highlights of the celebration. There is a feast in every christian Home with meat as a special item. Easter commemorates the resurrection of
Jesus Christ. It falls in the month of April. The Maramon Convention held every year in March on the river bed at Maramon under the auspices of the Marthoma
Church is the biggest gathering of the Christians in Asia and the second biggest in the World.
Muslim Religious Festivals:
Bakrid(Idul
Azha) and Ramzan (Idul Fitr) are the major muslim festivals. Muslims enjoy a hearty feast Bakrid Day. The famous Haj is performed after Idul Azha.
Id-ul-Fittr is celebrated after the conclusion of Ramzan fast when muslims give up all kinds of food and drink during day and spend major part of the night
in prayer. Miladi Sherif(Nabi Dinam) in April commemorates the birth of the Prophet. Muharam is another festival celebrated on the 10th day of the month of
Muharam-the for-bidden month which marks the beginning of the Hijira Year.
The Chandankulam at Beemapally near Trivandrum is one of the most
colorful of Muslim festivals in Kerala. It is said to be the death anniversary of Beema Beevi, a devout pilgrim lady who came to Kerala from Mecca. The
festival begins on the 1st of Jamadul Akhar of the Hijira Era(October) and lasts ten days. Carrying earthern pots smeared with sandal wood paste and the
mouth of the pot lightly closed with jasmine garland around the edges, thousands of pilgrims go around the mosque and the hallowed tomb of the devout lady in
procession, the earthern pot with money is placed at the tomb as an offering.