Guruvayoor Festival : Happy Birthday Unnikannan

Guruvayoor ‘Utsave’ is celebrated for ten days form ‘Puyam Nall ‘in the month of ‘Kumbham’. Elegantly decorated and buzzing with business, the temple town is very attractive at the time.
Elephant Race
Aanayottam (elephant race) is the greatest attraction in the festival .This has roots in a myth. Formerly Guruvayoor temple was under the Thrikunavaya temple. Once Thrikannamathilakam temple authorities would not sent elephants to the Guruvayoor Utsav. In remembrance of this event, on the elephant race is conducted the Utsave. Running from Manjulal near East nada of the temple, elephants enter the compound of the temple. The elephant which completes seven rounds and touch the flag post first is selected to bear the ‘Thidampu’.
On the first day evening ‘Acharyavaranam’, ‘Kody pooja’ and ‘Kodiyettam’ are the big ceremonies. ‘Kodipurathuvilaku’, another major ceremony is the procession of the Lord on ‘Pazhukka mandapam’.This ritual is performed twice - in the in the morning after’Pantheeradypooja’ on the south side; in the evening after Athazha pooja on the north of chuttambalam. People crowd in to this blissful ceremony.
‘Ulsavabali’ on the 8th day of the festival is also very important. ‘Gramapradakshinam’ ‘Pallivetta’ and ‘Arattu’are the major ceremonies of the 9th and 10th day. ‘Kodiyirakkam’ which marks the end of the festival
Vrishchika Ekadasi is another famous festival in Guruvayoor temple.
The eldest elephant among the temple’s herd pays homage to the legendary Guruvayoor Kesavan, the most celebrated elephant that belonged to the Guruvayoor temple. Also there will be ‘Chempai Sangeetholsavam’ for 11 days from the ‘Ekadasi’. 200 artists participate every day in the function.
‘Ashtamirohiny, Lord Krishna’s Birthday,is yet another famous festival of the temple. Devotees perform special poojas. Art programs and Dinner/sadya are other specials of the day.

Author : Smitha Atholi

One Of the Most Famous Mosque Festival: Pattambi Nercha

The Muslim community of Kerala cebrates Pattambi Nercha in Pattambi mosque. It’s a famous mosque festival. Pattambi mosque is situated 61 kms from Palakkad district. The festival commences in the first week of February. Nearly a hundred caprisond tuskers are lined up for the festival. The festival is held in the memory of Aloor Valiya Pookunjikoya Thangal who was a Muslim saint of South Malabar. The town glitters with a pageant sated with trqditional musical ensembles like Panchavadyam and Thayambakam at night. Various art forms are conducted on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha

Author : Adersh. BM

Malabar Festival : The Winder Festival In Calicut

As an example of the cultural tradition and secularist character of Malabar, the Kozhikode district authorities under the leadership of the district collector organize the festival Malabar Mahotsavam. This is celebrated in the winter every year since 1992. The festival gives the whole of Kozhikode city a festive look. Different arts and sports programs, exhibition sales etc are conducted as part of the festival. The main stage will be at Kozhikode beach. Different special stages are prepared for Hindustani / Carnatic music, fine arts, martial arts etc. Mananchira is another main stage of the event. The Government also extends its support for this event, aiming at tourism promotion. The festival leads to an assembly of people from Kozhikode and near by districts; Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad etc.

author : Adarsh.BM

Navaratri: Evil Overpowered

Navaratri is one of the most auspicious festivals celebrated with more or less equal sentiments and fervor throughout the country. Celebrate the victory of Godes over evel.

It comes as the prestigious nine days festival culminating on the ninth day called Maha Navami. The term ‘navaratri’ literally means ‘nine nights’. The Mother goddess is worshipped in various names such as Durga , Chandika, Kaali, Amba and Bhavani throughout these nine days. She is also referred to as Devi or Shakti healing all miseries of life. The methods of celebrations vary from place to place. In Kerala all the temples, especially devi temples, become crowded with devotees offering prayers and poojas. Religious discourses are conducted regularly during these days.
The three different aspects of mother goddess is represented by three set of 3 days each. They are Durga-, Lakshmi and Saraswathy -the Goddess of power/energy, the Goddess of wealth and The Goddess of wisdom respectively. These three different aspects combine during these nine days of celebration, to give you all-round success in life. Mahanavami is also the day for ‘Ayudha pooja’ in kerala. Ayudha puja- means worship of weapons. All weapons or tools in regular use are kept in for special offerings and worship by all in every walk of life. Tools, in a broad sense include tools, vehicles, computers, cooking utensils etc. They abstain from regular use of the tool kept for worship on the day. Students worship their books and traders their tools. Children are happy that parents will not compel them for studying on this day as all books and tools are symbolically kept for sacred worship and pooja. The books and tools are retrieved on the next day after Mahanavami. This is the tenth day after the nine nights or Navaratri and is celebrated as Vijayadasami.

VIJAYA DASAMI
It is a remarkable day of high festivity and some legends say that it is the day of victory of Goddess Durga over the sinful demon Mahishasura. It is celebrated as ‘Dusserra’ in other southern states. Dus’, Dasami etc. denotes the number ten and implies that the festival is on the tenth day following Navaratri. The most important part of Vijaya dasami celebrations in Kerala is the ritual called ‘ Ezhuthiniruthu’. It is the ceremony of initiation of children to the world of letters. All major temples are the venue for this ceremony where eminent gurus lead the children to the world of letters by making them write ‘hari sree ganapathaye namah’ on rice.
Author:shaiju . p.m

Thiruvathira: The Charming Performance Of Women

‘THIRUVATHIRA’ enters with the coolness of celebration is the month of ‘DHANU’ (Thiruvathira Nakshathram) . Thiruvathira is essentially women’s festival. It is being celebrated for ages now but there is no clear theory about the origin of the festival.

THE FOUR MYTHS
It is believed that it is the day on which ‘GOPASTRIS’ conducted ‘KARTHYANI POOJA’ to get ‘SREE KRISNA’ (the god) as their husband. Keralites celebrate thiruvathira is the birth day of God ‘SREE PARAMESWARA’ . It is also believed that this festival is celebrated in commemoration of the death of ‘KAMADEVA’ the mythological god of love. According to another version, this is a remembarance of ‘SREE PARVATIS’ prayful fasting(vrathas) by seeking auspicious family life .

Conventions have it that women should wake up before their husbands and take a luxurious bath in the pond. It is a part of the celebration chewing betels , wearing garlands and wear Keralites dress ‘SILK SAREE’ and ‘ONNARA’( A special dhothi) . The other interesting facet of the festival is the enchanting ‘THIRUVATHIRAKKALI’ (Kaikottikali) dance performed by women on this day Women folk also amuse themselves by playing on the ‘OONJAl’ (swing) on this day. On the night of Thiruvathira women again perform Thiruvathirakkali is a circle at the centre of which is placed a lighted brass lamp. It is wonderful sight to watch women dancing to the rhythm of the song they sing and clapping their hands is unison with grace.
Women observe fast on Thiruvathira. Instead of rice meal they take preparations of ‘CHANA’ (penicum miliacerum) or wheat . other items of their food include plantains, fruits, tender coconuts, etc. It may be noted that the ‘ANDRA DARSHAN’ festival of Tamilnadu corresponds to Thiruvathira festival on kerala.

Author: Smitha. AT

The Festival of Southern Kailasam(Vikkathashtami)

Vaikom Mahadeva Temple is famous as southern KailasamIn threthayugaKharan, the demon, underwent hard meditation. He did this advised by Malyavan, the another demon. The Lord Shiva satisfied with Kharan and gave him blessings. Shiva also gave him SivalingasKharan handed over one of these Sivalingas to monk Vyagrapada for installation at Vaikom. This is legend. Also Shiva appeared with Parvathi in front of Vyagrapada. Vaikkathashtami celebration is commemoration of this day. Ashtami is on 12th day of flag hoisting of festival.
The main ritual of Ashtami Vilakku is procession of Udayanapurathappan. A big reception gives to him who killing Tharakasuran and Soorapadman. The temple ways and nearest places decorates as very beautiful in festival days. Other thrilling sights are plantain fruit, tender coconut, colourful umbrella, flower, traditional oil lamp and Ashtami Pandal with decorated lighting. Musical bands, art forms and fireworks attract the procession. People believe that the better time is before sunrise for prayer in front of Vaikkathappan.
The main offering of Vaikkathappan is breakfast. The important thing of Vaikom is great feast of breakfast. It starting seventh day of festival with 20 Para(a measurement pot) rice and ends Ashtami day with101 Para . The breakfast feast Oottupura,situated at north side of the temple. In this Oottupura ovens ash gives as Prasaadam in the temple.

Author: Sakeer.B.V

RAMADAN: The End Of Holy Fasting

Ramadan is a holy month of Muslims. On that time they indulge in fasting and prayer. Their fast start from morning to evening. During that month they are trying to abstain from fighting each other. They share love and sympathy. They believe that those who bore martyrdom on the Ramadan days will be occupied a place in paradise.
Features of celebrating Ramadan.
Ramadan is a moth of the Islamic lunar calendar. Feasting in Ramadan is the scarification of whole body. They do fasting by avoiding food, drinks, sex, and so on. They take it only on day time. In night they have delicious food. It may contain even special item of meals. It is for them to purify their soul, concentrate on God, and for self-abnegation
Author:Jayesh Kuryan

Rayranallur Climbing

Rayranallur hill was the residence of Naranath Branthan, the Indian counterpart of Greek mythology. It was a calm and quite located at Naduvattam near Pattambi,Palakad district in Kerala. It was at the Rayranallur hill that he received the vision of Devi on first day of the month of Thulaam.
Rayranallur hill is 500 feets high and has a width of 300 acres. That is the place where he got the vision. It became a temple without an Idol of Devi, but had the footprint of the Goddess forming a pond . From that day thise place is considered holy and people began to after worship there. The Pond has much water and it never runs dry. This water is used for ‘Pujas’ and ‘Archanas’.
The temple situated on the hill stretches for about six hectares. Thousands of people outside and inside Kerala visit the place to have blessings from the Devi on the first day of the month of Thulaam every year. They believe that climbing the hill on that day would provide them with many blessing such as marriage, getting children, cure from diseases etc.
The man who made the temple was NaranathBranthan. When he was meditating in ‘Branthachalam’, two kilometers west of the temple he saw the Goddess(Devi) swinging on a Banyan tree and he followed her. But no sooner had he reached near her than she disappeared leaving her foot print which turned in to a pond. When he saw the pond, he started ‘pujas’ there. Myth says that Naranth Branthan rolled up huge stone from the valley to the top and rolled them down laughing loudly. This is said to reflect his vision on the triviality and futility of human efforts.
Naranath Branthan was the offspring of the Brahmin who adored the court of Vikramadithya. He was one among the twelve children that Vararuchi had in a ‘Parayi’ (a woman who belonged to the low cast of ‘parayan’). ‘Parayi Petta Panthirukulam ’(the twelve branched clan of Parayi) is a strong current in Kerala folklore. We can the statue of Naranathu Branthan on the beautifull hill created by Architect Surendra Krishnan to the commemorate Naranathu Branthan

Author: Smitha Atholi

Attukal Pongala: The Great Festival of women

Aattukal is a place in the vicinity of Trivandrum city. Here in the ancient Bagavathy temple women celebrate Attukal pongala. It is a ten day long festival which starts on the Bharani day (karthika star) of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (Feb-march). This will come to an end with the sacrificial offering known as ’Kuruthitharpanam’ at night. Aattukal Pongala mahotsavam takes place on the ninth day which is the most important day of the festival. Women from all over Kerala and Tamilnadu gather up in the surroundings of the temple to make offerings for the Goddess by cooking Pongala.

The Myth
It is believed that Goddess Attukalamma is the incarnation of Kannaki, the heroine of ‘Silappathikaram’ written by Tamil poet Ilango in second century AD. It is at Aattukal that the Goddess took rest on her northward journey from Madurai to Kodungallur.

Pongala consists of porridge of rice, sweet, brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. Thottam paattu a song about Bhagavathy will be sung continuously for nine days of the festival. The festival commences with the musical rendering of the story of the Goddess (Kannaki Charitam) during the "Kappukettu" ceremony. The story invokes the presence of Kodungallur Bhagavathy and the killing of the Pandyan King. The song will continue for all the nine days preceding Ponkala. The event of the Goddess distroying the Pandyan King is accompanied by much sound and wrath of the temple drums and "Vaykurava" by devotees, immediately followed by the lighting of the fireside for the preparation of the offering for the Goddess On the ninth day thousands of women gather in the temple with all set up for cooking Pongala. This will begin in the morning and by noon Pongala would be ready. Then the chief priest of the temple comes with the sword of Devi and blesses the ladies by sprinkling holy water and showering flowers. The blessed pongala will be taken by the believers to their home.
Aattukal pongala has found place in the Guinness book of records as the biggest women’s gathering in the world. In 2007, Pongala held on 3rd March have witnessed 2.5 million devotees.

Boys performs Kuthiyottam and girls, Thalapoli. Tese are the other charms of the festival. Young girls dressed in a traditional way hold thalapoli and starts early in the mornig with the belief that Goddess will shower blessings on them with beauty, wealth and happiness. Boys who are under 13 years make the offering of Kuthiyottam. The boys represent the wounded soldiers of the Goddess Mahishasura Mardhini. On the third day the temple priest gives Prasadam and boys start a seven day penance to purify their mind and body. For this they will go through rigorous physical and mental disciplines such as sleeping on the floor, eating under restricted diet, staying in the temple etc.

Taking Devi with procession
The diety is taken from Aattukal to the Sastha Temple at Manacaud , with divine procession. The procession is very colorful with floats, decorations etc. All through the road will reflect festive look. The Devi will be carried on caparisoned elephant displaying Alavattom and Venchamaram. Devotees will stand crowded on either side of the road welcoming the Devi. The procession reaches Sastha temple in the early hours of morning. There will be some poojas conducted here and the procession returns to Aattukal. Here the diety is received back in the sanctum with Deeparadhana. After the Deeparadhana the boys are relieved from the penance in an orderly manner.At night devotional songs will be rendered and is followed by ceremonial of the Kappu.
Through out the period of festival the whole of Trivandrum city in a festive mood. The surrounding places of Attukal will be occupied by small merchants, selling sweets, fancy items, toys etc.

Author: Adersh.BM