Kerala Elephant Festivals Calendar 2016
Kerala Festivals 2016
Adoor Gajamela (20 Jan 2016)
Adoor – Pathanamthitta Dist
Huge tuskers wearing all of their adornments are a visual treat. If you love elephants, make sure that you are at the Parthasarathy Temple in Adoor on January 26th. Adoor Gajamela (elephant pageant) is part of the ten day festival of the temple. Thousands flock to the temple on this day to admire the grand spectacle where nine elephants fully decked out in their ceremonial attire come to entice all.
Pariyanampetta Pooram (20 Feb 2016)
Kattakulam – Palakkad District
Kalamezhuthu (the drawing of the images of the Goddess) is the main attraction of Pariyanampetta Pooram. These images are drawn by skilled artists using natural powders.
Pariyanampetta Pooram is a 7-day annual festival held at the Pariyanampetta Bhagavathi (Goddess) Temple. The major highlight of this festival is Kalamezhuthu Pattu. This is a traditional ritual performed in Kerala to appease the Goddess, Snake Goddess (Nagadevata) or Lord Ayyappan. Skilled artists will draw images of the Goddess on the floor using naturally obtained colored powders. Once the drawing is made, myth about the Goddess is rendered to the accompaniment of traditional instruments. The final stage is kalam thullal in which the myth is performed in a magical dance form. The dancers – usually two young girls – will erase the Kalam with their body movements. While they do this they are in a state of trance and unaware of the happenings around them. The songs and the images inspire a sense of awe in the spectators.
Guruvayoor Aanaottam (February 20, 2016)
Guruvayoor – -Thrissur District
The annual festival at the Guruvayoor Temple begins with the elephant race (anayottam – ana means elephant; ottam means running). The participants are the elephants owned by the temple. Right now they own 56 elephants. A special prize awaits the winner: He will have the honor of carrying the thidambu (the replica of the idol of Lord Krishna) on all special occasions for one year. Make sure you are at Guruvayoor on February 20 because you won’t get to see an elephant race every other day.
Chinakkathoor Pooram (February 22, 2016)
Palappuram – Palakkad Dist
Chinakkathoor Pooram gives spectators and devotees an opportunity to see 33 festooned elephants in one grand procession. This is perhaps the biggest elephant pageant held in the district of Palakkad. Elephants, by the way, aren’t the only attraction of this festival. They are just one of them.
Uthralikavu Pooram (March 1, 2016)
Wadakkancherry – Thrissur
Spectacular fireworks and decorated elephants are the chief attraction of this festival held at the Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple in Vadakkancherry, Thrissur district. As for elephants, well, there are 21 of them of them decked out in their gorgeous attire.
Parippally Gajamela (March 6, 2016)
Parippally – Kollam District
Don’t miss this opportunity to see 50 caparisoned elephants in one grand procession. The Parippally Gajamela is a veritable feast for the eyes. It is part of the 10-day annual festival of the temple. The Gajamela is organized on the 10th day.
Peruvanam Pooram (March 18, 2016)
Peruvanam – Thrissur Dist
The Peruvanam Temple in Thrissur district is an ancient temple devoted to Lord Shiva. The Peruvanam Pooram involves a procession carrying the deity atop a festooned elephant along with six other tuskers. They are accompanied by the traditional temple orchestra.
Arattupuzha Pooram (March 21, 2016)
Arattupuzha – Thrissur Dist
Traditional percussion orchestra performed in front of festooned elephants – a scene from Arattupuzha Pooram at Thrissur in Kerala, India
Arattupuzha Pooram is held at the premises of the Sree Sastha Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. This is an ancient temple. Some have estimated it to be more than 3000 years old. The Arattupuzha pooram is renowned as the mother of all poorams in Kerala because of its sheer grandeur and magnitude.
Nenmara Vallangi Vela (April 2nd, 2016)
Where: Nenmara, Palakkad district
Nenmara Vallangi Vela comes a close second to Thrissur Pooram in splendor and impressiveness. It is a riot of colors, elephants, rural art forms and fireworks. The festival is organized by the two counties – Nenmara and Vallangi. Read more about Nenmara Vallangi Vela here
Kottakkal Pooram (April 3rd to 8th, 2016)
Kottakkal – Malappuram District
The Kottakkal Pooram is celebrated in honor of Dhanvantari, the god of medicine and health. During the 7 days of the festival, classical artists from all over the country perform here.
Thrissur Pooram (April 17, 2016)
Thrissur Town -Thrissur District
This is the Pooram of all Poorams. Need I say anything more? Read more about Thrissur Pooram here.
Pooram is unique to the districts of Thrissur and Palakkad. Northern parts of Kerala have their unique temple festival called Kaliyattam. A Kaliyattam sees the performance of several Theyyams.
