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The colourful mosaic of Kerala festivals and fairs - 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. They are round the year vibrant interludes in the mundane routine of life.

Every season brings along new festivals, each a true celebration of the bounties of nature. And that's not all ! 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. 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. 

Kerala's most important festival is celebrated in the honour of the ancient Asura King Mahabali. His period is believed the golden age in the history of the country.When Maveli ruled, all were equal, they were leading a life of happiness and nobody had any quarrels between the people. There was neither dishonesty nor deception, nor was there any instance of false utterance, use of counterfeit measures of other kings of unfair practice. Perfect harmony, communal and otherwise, prevailed. In short it was a glorious period. The occasion also heralds the harvest season. The decorating of houses with carpets of flowers, a sumptuous lunch and songs in praise of the Golden reign of Mahabali, mark the ten day long festivities. A major attraction of the Onam celebration are the famous snake boat races along the backwaters at Champakulam, Aramula and Kottayam.

Bus this golden age came of a tragic close when Mahabali was expelled from his kingdom by Vamana, the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu. Thus by the designs of the jealous Gods, the glorious reign of the Asura emperor came to an end. But his grateful subjects, request that their former ruler might be permitted to visit the land once a year, was granted. The time for his annual visit was in the first Malayalam month Chingom (August-September) and this occasion become one of the important festivals throughout the land, reminiscent of the prosperous times of Mahabali. Onam has for last several centuries been a grand national harvest festival in which all sections of the people celebrate with extreme jubilant.

The festival is supposed to begin from the lunar asterism Atham which falls ten days before the asterism Thiruvonam. The preparations for the celebration begin on the Atham day. The Thiruvonam is the most important day of the festival. In the front yard of the house Athapoovu (floral decoration) is made for ten days from Atham to Thiruvonam. The idol of Thrikkakkara Appan made of clay is placed in the middle of the floral decoration, a clear example of the aesthetic sense of the Malayalees who do it with a sense of devotion.

On the Thiruvonam day every one bathes and offers worship in temples early in the morning. Then the gayest new garments are put on. Presents are distributed to the younger members of the family. Then follows the onam feast of delicious food served on plantain leaves. Members of families, staying far away from native places make it a point to visit their ancestral homes to celebrate the festival in the company of the their kith and kin. Keralites celebrate Onam by organising community feast, cultural programmes, etc.

Onam festival which attract thousands of people including tourists from outside the state. The state Government itself has taken the initiative to celebrate Onam season as tourist festival with the motive of attraction tourists. Various cultural forms, old and new, are presented in all important towns in the state during the festival.

The most colourful temple festival of Kerala. Thrissur Pooram, attracts large masses of devotees and spectators from all parts of the State and outsiders..

Celebrated in Medom (April-May) it consists of procession of richly caparisoned elephants from various neighbouring temples to the Vadakunnatha temple, Thrissur. The most impressive processions are those from the Krishna temple at Thiruvambadi and the Devi temple at Paramekkavu, both situated in the town itself. This festival was introduced by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of erstwhile Kochi state. The Pooram festival is also well-known for the dazzling display of fireworks. It is celebrated by two rival groups representing the two divisions of Thrissur Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi with each other in making the display of fireworks grander and more colourful. Each group is allowed to display a maximum of fifteen elephants and all efforts are made by each party to secure the best elephants in South India. The commissioning of elephants and parasols is done in the utmost secrecy by each party to excel the other. Commencing in the early hours of the morning, the celebrations last till the break of dawn, the next day.

Of the rival groups participating in the Pooram, the most important ones are those from Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. At the close of the pooram both these groups enter the temple through the western gate and come out through the southern gate to array themselves, face to face, one from the round and other from the Municipal Office road. This spectacle is highly enchanting. Although this grand festival is known as Thrissur Pooram, it is in fact the conclusion of the eight day Utsavam of nine temples.

The procession of the Thiruvambadi Pooram to the grounds of Vadakkunnatha Temple and back is not only important, but also quite enlivening. The marvellous as well as magical effect of the Panchavadyam, a combination of five percussion and wind instruments, is to be felt and enjoyed.

For ages, Keralites have cherished a reverential attitude to rivers. It is the apt time for Keralites to hold the Jalotsavam (water-carnivals). Boat race is in a way a display of physical might of the people who forget their differences in partaking of this sport.

The famous snake boat carnival on the Pampa, held annually at Aranmula on the day of Uthrittathi asterism, in connection with the Onam festival is to commemorate the crossing of the river by Lord Krishna on that day. The deity is supposed to be in all the boats that take part in the carnival and all of them are expected to arrive a t their destination simultaneously. There is thus no element of competition in the Aranmula Boat Race as in other regattas held in this district and elsewhere. The race is not conducted to win any trophy or prize. The crew regards the occasion as one for rejoicing and merry-making and cheerfully row up and down the river to the tune of songs. Even though the festival is of Hindu origin and is associated with the Parthasarathy Temple, it is an all-community affair and participants include members of all classes and communities living in and around Aranmula. The festival is now being organised under the auspices of the Palli Oda Seva Sangam, a popular organisation of the boat owners. It constitutes a national festival for the people of Central Travancore and special boats and buses ply to carry the people to witness the event. During the races, the banks of the river on either side, for a distance of about three kilometers, would be thronged with millions. In recent years, the festival attracts spectators from all parts of the world. The Valla Sadya is an important vazhipadu (offering) in the temple on this occasion.

The snake boats at the Aranmula regatta present an enchanting as well as imposing spectacle. They are of extraordinary shape. About 100 ft. long, the end of the boat is curving upwards with the front portion tapering gradually. The rear portion would be towering to a height of about 20 feet. The boats resemble snakes with their hoods raised. Crews of over hundred men vying to win the coveted trophy, attract spectators from all over. The occupants carry banners and ornamental umbrellas of silk and gold. It is doubtful whether there is any other national festival resplendent with such an aura of spiritual devotion, endearing friendship, sportsman spirit, majesty and rapturous delight as the Aranmula boat race.

Similar Snake-boat races are organized at Champakkulam and Paippadu in Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, during the Onam days.

An ancient Bhagavathy temple (Mudippura), knows as the Sabarimala of women, at Attukal in the Kaladi ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Over and above the daily pujas in the temple, Mandalapuja is performed every year from first Vrischikam to 12th Dhanu with occasional Chirappu. But the most important festival in this temple, generally known as Attukal Ponkala commences on Bharani day in Kumbhom (February - March) and continues for nine days. The festival begins with Thottampattu (a song about Bhagavathy) which goes on during all the nine days. On the ninth day, several thousands of women assemble in the premises of the temple with Ponkala pots and the required quantities of rice and other ingredients for Ponkala. Ponkala is an offering usually made in Bhagavathy temples, prepared in the form of Payasam by cooking rice, jaggery, coconut kernel and plantain fruits in varying combinations. Ritual starts from very early in the morning an d by noon all the Ponkalas would be ready, when the melsanthi (chief priest) carrying Devi's sword goes all over the place around the temple and blesses them by sprinkling holy water and showering flowers. After this, the Devi is taken in procession to the Manacaud Sastha Temple accompanied by Thalapoli, Kuthiyottom, Annam, Vahanam, Caparisoned elephants etc. In this procession famous troupes of percussion instruments like Chenda Nagaswaram, band and Neyyandi Melam take part. There will also be Kumbhakudam (pageantry) during the procession. All along the route, the procession is received with Nirapara (a measure filled with paddy and decorated with flowers) arranged in front of houses. The procession returns only the next morning

Chettikulangara temple near Kayamkulam is one of the famous Devi temples in Kerala. The Bharani Utsavam celebrated in Kumbhom (February-March) in this temple is quite an event to the local people as well as to those residing in the neighbouring villages.

The highlight of the festival is Kuthiyottam and Kettukazhcha. It is doubtful whether there is any other temple in Kerala where these two rituals are performed so elaborately as in the Chettikulangara Bhagavathy temple.

Kuthiyottam is performed as an important offering to the deity. The man who makes the offering teaches young boys of between 8 and 14 years certain religious rites for seven days from Sivarathri day to Bharani asterism, during which these boys will be required to observe fast. Early in the morning on Bharani, after feast and other rituals, the boy whose body is coiled with silver wires, one end of which is tied around his neck, and an arecanut fixed on the tip of a knife held high over his head, is taken in procession to the temple with the accompaniment of beating of drums, music, ornamental umbrellas etc. All through the way to the temple, tender coconut water will be continually poured on his body. At the end of it, the boy stands at a position facing the Sreekovil (Sanctum Sanctorum) and begins to dance. This ceremony comes to a close with the presentation of prizes to the Gurus (teachers). This dance if performed in pairs is called Iratta Kuthiyottam.

On this day, just after mid-day, the residents of the locality bring huge decorated effigies of chariots, horses, Bhima, Panchali, Hanuman etc placed in wheeled platforms, and after having darshan, the parties take up their respective position in the paddy field lying east of the temple. During the night, the image of Devi will be carried in procession to the effigies stationed in the paddy field. This is what is known as Kettukazhcha. On the next day these effigies will be taken back to their respective Kavus (place of worship of different families).

On the tenth day following the Bharani Utsavam there is another festival celebrated in the temple for thirteen days. On each day, the festival is conducted by the residents of a particular Kavu.

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