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Fairs & Festivals of Kerala :
In kerala, life is a celebration. A close look at the kerala calendar will reveal that this is a land where the festivals never end, adding to the magnificance of the festivals of kerala are fleets of caparisoned elephants, mounted by men holding white plumes swaying in the air the - most breathtaking of kerals's visual wonders. While there is no dearth of festivals in the state, the excitement speaks during the season of onam, exemplified in the legendary boat races and the week - long festivities, understandably, all these celebrations take place with a lot of fanfare. |
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Onam (August - September):
Onam is the annual harvest festival of kerala. Celebrations are on for ten days, beginning with the atham day of the malayalam month chingam. The Grandest Celebration, with floral decorations and traditional feast.
Highlights -
» Floral decorations
» Elephant processions
» Thiruvathirakali
» Classical and folk dance performances, folk music recitals
» Cultural pageants, Water carnivals .
art including the attributes required in order to be an accomplished dancer. |
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Nehru Trophy Boat Race :
This is the greatest event on the backwaters of kerala, is held on the second saturday of august every year. Magnificent snakeboats compete for the prized trophy which was instituted by jawaharlal nehru, the first prime minister of india.
Highlights -
» Ceremonial water procession
» Spectacular water floats
» Decorated boats
» Vanchipattu
» Races of smaller country crafts
» Chundanvellom race.
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Thrissur Pooram :
This festival held at Thekinkadu Maidan at Thrissur in the month of May
Highlights -
» Pageant of 30 caparisoned elephants assembled in the precincts of the vadakumnathan temple.
» The nearby paramekavu and thiruvambadi temples are also participants in the festival.
» Kudamattam (changing of umbralla from hands to hands)
» Chendamelain (kind of drums)
» Panchavadyam (five typical instruments played)
» Spectacular fireworks display |
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Aranmula Vallamkali :
10 km from chengannur. This traditional boat race conducted at sree parthasarathy temple, aranmula in connection with the onam celebrations is more of a water fiesta than a competition. |
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Champakulam Boat Race :
This is one of the most popular boat races of kerala.
Highlights -
» Pceremonial water procession.
» Spectacular water floats.
» Decorated boats.
» Vanchipattu (folk song of the oarsmen) The chundanvallom (snake boat, over 100 feet in length, with a Raised prow similar to the hood of a snake) race. |
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Easter Sunday :
The Oldest Christian festival, celebrated here with a distinct local flavour. The Easter Vigil is an important event in the Churches here. |
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Maramon Convention :
Held on the sands of River Pampa, at Kozhancheri, near Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district - the birthplace of Palakkunnath Abraham Maplah, a 19th centuary leader of the Syrian Church of Malabar. This 10-day convention, attended by thousands of Christians, is the largest of its kind in Asia. |
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Thiruvathira Festival (December - January) :
A Hindu festival centred around the women, who visit the temple of Siva and perform special dances and rituals. |
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Makaravillakku at Sabarimala :
Makaravilakku at sree dharamasastha temple, sabarimala. This is one of the few occasions when the temple is open to the public. The day when devotees of Lord Ayyappa gather in large numbers to view the appearance of a strange light on a distant hill.
Highlights -
» On the evening of makara sankranthi, the makara vilakku/makara jyothi ( the light of kakara) is believed to be seen on the eastern horizon. Thousands of pilgrims gather here to witness the event.
» Special devotional rites
» Devotees are decreed to practise severe austerities and total abstinence for 60 days before climbing the hills to the temple |
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Kerala Village Fair (mid January :
A ten-day festival held in the lush villages around Kovalam, to showcase kerala's rural arts and artifacts. |
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Kalapathy Chariot Festival (2nd weak of November) :
This temple chariot festival at Kalapathy village, is organised by the Tamil Brahim settlers, as five temple chariots are taken ion procession, to the accompaniment of caparisoned elephants and percussion intruments. |
