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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 |
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. |
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. |
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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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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