Kerala Festivals

Onam: Onam is celebrated for 10 days in the commemoration of King Mahabali in Chingam, the first month of the Malayali calendar. Celebrated every year between the months of August and September according to the Gregonian calendar, it is also celebrated as a harvest festival. The festival embodies the rich culture of Kerala and is held in Thrikkakara.

Aranmula Uthrattathi: The famous snake boat carnival held on the 10th day of Onam festival in the memory of Lord Krishna’s crossing of the river. The boat festival is more like merrymaking than a competition.

Aranmula Uthrattathi: The famous snake boat carnival held on the 10th day of Onam festival in the memory of Lord Krishna’s crossing of the river. The boat festival is more like merrymaking than a competition.

Thrissur Pooram: Considered as the superior of all festivals, Thrissur Pooram is celebrated with caparisoned elephants, thumping music and glaring parasols. The festivities are held between the months of April and May.

Thiruvathira: This is a women-centric festival in Kerala, in the month of Dhanu (December - January), and the day is believed to have the longest night of the year. Thiruvathira is celebrated to glorify the power, calmness and free-spirit of womanhood. The women observe the festivities by performing several rituals accompanied by various performances including Thiruvathirakali, a dance form of Kerala.

Theyyam : This is a unique festival of dance, celebrated in two days anytime between November and March. The ritualistic dance-drama performance is a form of oblation for the God. The literal meaning of Theyyam is the presence of God in theatrical, ritual and live culture.

Makaravilakku: Makaravilakku is the most significant and devotional festival held in Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, Kerala. Makara Jyothi is performed on the initial day of the Makara month of the Malayalam traditional calendar of Kerala. Makaravilakku is a seven-day festival that begins from the day of Makar Sankranti. On the 14th of January every year, the dwip-aradhana is the most important part of worshipping Lord Ayyapa.

Adoor Gajamela: Celebrated between the months of January and February, Adoor Gajamela is a grand occasion of 10 days encompassing elephant procession. The festival is also considered as fair of elephants as they are highly revered and made part of most of the festivals in South India.

Aanayoottu: Aanayoottu is celebrated in the month of July in the city of Thrissur. As per Malayalam calendar it is celebrated on the first day of Karkidakam month and involves the feeding of elephants. Gaja Puja is conducted every fourth year of Aanayoottu, it is believed to be a practice of worshipping Lord Ganesha.

Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani: This is an interesting festival observed in the month of Kumbham (February - March), at the Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi Temple of Alappuzha district. The celebration begins with a colourful parade with different sized structures. The bigger structures are considered as horses and the smaller ones are embodied as chariots, and the parade becomes the main attraction of the festival. Kuthiyottam ritual is another point of attraction of the celebration.

Kalpathi Ratholsavam: The chariot festival is carried out at the Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple in Palakkad. Kalpathi Ratholsavam is a 10-day event commemorated in the month of November. The first few days of the festival indulges in cultural programs and vedic recitals and in the last few days of the festival the devotees engage in decorating the giant chariots to march them along the streets.

Kerala Boat Race Festivals: Boat races are among the unique traditions of Kerala celebrations. People in large numbers flock together to become a witness of these grand events. Even the tourists' footfalls record a steep increase during the snake-shaped boat races. The snake boats are termed as ‘chundan vallam’ and they tend to bring life in the serene backwaters. The significant and popular boat races in Kerala include Aranmula Boat Race, Neerattupuram boat race, Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, Pulinkunnu Rajiv Gandhi Boat race, Payippad Jalolsavam and Nehru Trophy Boat Race.