|
NAME |
LOCATION |
DATE |
FEATURES |
|
POORAM FESTIVAL |
VADAKUNATHA TEMPLE
,THRISSUR |
APR/ MAY |
ELEPHANT
PROCESSION |
|
ONAM |
ALL OVER KERALA |
AUG/ SEP |
HARVEST FESTIVAL |
|
MULLAKAH
TEMPLE |
A LAPUZHA |
MID DEC |
MUSIC |
|
VISHU KANI |
STATEWIDE |
APRIL/ MAY |
CELEBRATES THE START OF RAINY
SEASON AND PLANTING OF THE PADDY |
|
TIRUVATHIRA |
ANN OVER KERALA |
DEC/JAN |
CELEBRATED BY WOMEN
ONLY |
|
ARATTU |
MANY PLACES IN
KERALA |
MAR/APR OR
OCT/
NOV |
MARKS THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE
10 DAYS LONG CELEBRATION AT THE PADMANABHASWAMI
TEMPLE |
|
TOURIST FESTIVAL |
THRISSUR, ALAPUZHA,
KOVANAM |
JAN(17-20) |
ELEPHANT PROCESSIONS, FIREWORK
DISPLAY, BOAT RACES, DANCE &FOOD |
|
NISHIGANDHI DANCE
FESTIVAL |
NISHIGANDHA AUDITORIUM
KANAKAKKUNNU PANACE (THIRUVANTHAPURAM |
(NOV-MARCH)
WEEKENDS |
DANCE PERFORMANCES REPRESENTING
DIVERSE DANCE FORMS |
|
MAKARAVILLAKKU |
SABARIMALA AYYAPAN
TEMPLE, |
|
|
|
MAHASHIVRATRI |
BANKS OF THE PERIYAR RIVER
STATEWIDE |
|
|
|
SARASWATI PUJA |
STATEWIDE |
|
(NAVRATHRI PUJA IN REST OF INDIA) |
|
IDD, RAMZAN, MUHARRAM, BAKRA
IDD, |
STATEWIDE |
|
|
|
CELEBRATIONS AT
BEEMAPALL |
SHRINE OF BEENA BAI |
MAR/APRIL
(10
DAYS) |
FIREWORKS, SWORDPUNY, ELEPHANT
PROCESSIONS. |
Besides these festivals, which all have religious significance, Kerala Tourism Department organizes some
festivals especially for the entertainment of the tourists.
The main festival organized by them is during the month of January (17-20). This four-days festival starts at Thrissur with a
spectacularly colorful procession of heavy 100 brightly caparisoned elephants. Tourists are allowed to ride on these elephants
and also to feed them .In Alapuzha, there are snake boat races and rides. On the final day display of martial arts and an elephant
pageant is held. A seaside barbecue and a display of firework mark the end of this carnival.
A mention here must be made of various dance festivals, which take place in Kerala. -Nishigandhi Dance Festival (Nov-Mar)
On weekends during this period dance performances by leading proponents of all the important dance forms takes place at the
Nishigandhi open air auditorium at the Kanakakkunnu palace. Soorya Dance Festival (Oct) This dance festival takes place from
the 1st to the 10th of October.
Chandanakuda Festival . This festival begins on the first of the Hijri month of Jamadulakhar (Mar-APR) at the shrine of
Beemapalli dedicated to Beema Bivi. Beema Bivi was a Muslim woman, believed to be endowed with divine powers.
A procession is taken out by Muslims holding pots and incense sticks. Beside there is a display of sward fighting,
singing and dancing.
Navrathri (Sep/Oct) or the Saraswati festival as it is commonly known in Kerala, is celebrated here at a special
mandapam in the Padmanabhaswami Temple. Several musical concerts are held here.
Nishigandhi Dance Festival (Nov-March) on weekends during this period prominent dances representing various
dance forms are performed at this festival. (Venue Kanakakkunnu Palace)
Soorya Dance Festival (1st to 10th Oct) This festival is similar to the Nishigandhi dance festival.
Fairs and Local Festivals
Besides the festivals, which are celebrated all over the state of Kerala such as Onam, Vishnukani and Tiruvathira,
there is one festival, which is special to Thiruvananthapuram. It is the 10-days long festival at the Padamanabhaswami
temple.
The closing ceremony (arattu) of this festival is celebrated in a number of temples across Kerala. During this, the deity is
taken in a procession around the temple complex. Then the procession (including the erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore)
moves to the Shanmugham accompanied by 6 gold clothed elephants. The procession leads the temple gate at 1700Hrs.
and returns around 2100Hrs.
Classical Music Festival This festival is held from 27th Jan. to 3rd Feb. The venue for this festival is the Puthe Mumga Palace.
More about festivals
Note:
Calendar provided by GAMA is just for informational purposes only.
Dates and schedules mentioned here may change.
