Tag Archives: Indian festivals

Festivals of India, Kerala, Statewise Travel

Celebrating the chariot of light- Purapaadu Festival at Cheriyanaad

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When I visited Pattanamthitta for the first time, I was blown away by the natural and cultural landscapes of this district. But little did I know I would return here more often than I expected. Each time, to experience a new festival. In this post, I am going to talk about my experience of the Purapaadu Festival at Cheriyanaad.

What is the Purapaadu Festival?

It is the annual festival of the Shri Bala Subramanya Swami temple, which usually falls on the first day of the Kumbham month of the Malayalam calendar. The Purapaadu festival is mostly known for the celebration of Pallivilakku, a grand procession of oil-lit lamps taken on wooden temple cars along the temple street on the night of the 5th day of the temple festival. It also aligns closer to the Thaipooyam and the Kavadiyettam celebration at the temple. The Shri Bala Subramanya Swami temple is in Cheriyanaad, a village in the current Allapuzha district of Kerala. Cheriyanaad lies on the border between the erstwhile kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Pandalam. Hence, its proximity is the same as that to Pattanamthitta.

Based on my study across multiple sources of information, I have put up a brief itinerary with some of the main events during the Purappadu festival as follows.

Purapaad festival 2026 itinerary
Purapaad festival 2026 itinerary Source: Cheriyanaad Bala Subramanya temple Instagram handle

Day 1: Kodiyetttam– This is the ceremonial flag hoisting to signify the formal inauguration of the festival.

Day 2, 3 & 4: Special poojas and offerings to lord Bala Subramanya Swami.

Day 5: Pallivilakku / The Procession of lamps: 03:00 a.m. onwards, followed by the Thiruvabharanamchart (exhibition of the deity’s ornaments) and the ritual of putting a garland on the feet of the main idol, at around 5:30 a.m.

The temple car getting ready for the Purapaad festival, Cheriyanad
The temple car getting ready for the Purapaad festival

Day 6: The first time coming out ceremony of the deity, which includes the morning service starting at around 04:30 a.m. onwards and the circumambulation of the temple with the deity’s idol on a palanquin at around 05:30 p.m.

Day 9: Skanda Shashti: People keep fast on this day, followed by rituals like Shashti Pooja at around noon and the Peacock chariot procession from 07:00p.m. onwards.

Day 10: Arattu: this is the “sacred bath,” marking the final ritual of a 10-day temple festival.

What happens during the Pallivilakku?

During the early hours of the 5th morning of the festival, around 13 wooden chariots representing 13 karas (surrounding villages) are taken on a procession along the road extending from the Shri Bala Subramanya Swami temple and the Padanilam. These wooden chariots are decorated with oil-lit lamps made with the empty shells of the chaulmoogra fruit (Hydnocarpus pentandrus, locally called Marotti in Malayalam) and are pulled manually by men representing each kara shouting slogans in the name of lord Subramanya.

The illuminated temple car Purapaad festival, Cheriyanad
The illuminated temple car

After a coconut-breaking ceremony and the lighting of the Nilavilakku (the traditional floor lamp), the procession begins. Five large chariots lead the convoy. A railway track crosses this path and has a height gauge installed. Hence, the medium-sized or larger 04 chariots at the trailing end will reach only this point and then return to the temple. 03 decorated elephants of the temple accompany the remaining 04 smaller chariots and make it past this railway crossing to join the leading 05 chariots at the Padanilam ground. The Padanilam ground, which was once a battleground, is also called the ‘Shastham Kunnu’ because it had a temple dedicated to Shasthavu and a fortified raised platform.

A large Pookkalam is made at the Shastham Kunnu, where a small shrine is set up and decorated with thousands of banana bunches. The procession culminates here with the chariots carrying the lamps parked in a circle, and the elephants perform the final rituals. The first bunches of bananas are fed to the elephants, and the remaining are distributed as prasada among everyone who has gathered there.

How was our experience of witnessing the Pallivilakku?

My friend and I arrived at the temple late in the evening on the 4th day, before the Pallivilakku. We saw a few devotees on the highway, walking towards the temple carrying the Kavadis. Though these kavadi bearers were performing this ritual quite early, it is to be noted that this year’s Kavadi festival at the Cheriyanaad Bala Subramanya Swami temple was scheduled to happen back-to-back. I will share the Kavadi festival itinerary at the end of this post.

The Nadaswaram Seva at Subramanya temple, Cheriyanad
The Nadaswaram Seva at Subramanya temple, Cheriyanad

Coming back to our story of the Purapaadu festival, and upon our arrival at the temple, the wooden chariots were still being prepared and assembled on the road leading to the entrance. Inside the premises, 03 elaborately decorated elephants stood in front of a beautifully laid Pookalam, at the end of which the Nadaswaram Seva began. The Seva was deeply soulful, and the music continued to play in my mind even after the ritual was completed. We had the darshana of the lord at his sanctum sanctorum and watched other devotees offer their prayers in the form of donations of paddy and other grains.

We then followed the crowd towards the open-air auditorium and found ourselves seated amid hundreds of others on the ground. Shortly after, all lights were turned off, whistles and hoots sounded, and there was total darkness. An interesting event was about to begin. It was the first time I was watching a stage cinema. The cinema went on for a couple of hours while the wooden chariots were being prepared for the grand show.

Halfway through the cinema, we decided to take a stroll along the procession trail. We watched all the lamps being arranged, oil being filled and lit. We also spoke with the locals to understand the traditions and to find a good vantage point to view all the lit chariots as they moved. Finally, the procession commenced around 04:00 a.m., and it was indeed a walk I will remember, one of spectacle and memories. And oh! I picked up a few fallen Marotti lamps and kept them as a souvenir before bidding goodbye to this wonderful festival.

The pookalam at Padinalam ground, Cheriyanad
The pookalam at Padinalam ground, Cheriyanad

How to get there?

Cheriyanaad is located about 8 km away from Chengannur, the nearest major town. Frequent public buses ply between Cheriyanaad and Chengannur if you are commuting during the day. Since we commuted after sunset and before sunrise hours, we hired an autorickshaw that was easily available from Chengannur town. While Cheriyanaad has its own railway station, Chenganur is well connected with major cities like Bangalore and Chennai with direct trains. However, I travelled by a direct bus due to my work schedule. We booked accommodation at Chengannur town, the nearest place to avail a decent lodging facility.

Other information:

Shri Bala Subramanya Swami temple at Cheriyanaad is also known for its Thaipusam and Kavadiyattam festival. In 2026, it started on the day following the Purappad festival. This is brief information on the same.

  • Day 1: Idumban Pooja, a sacred ritual dedicated to Idumban, the devotee and guardian of Lord Murugan’s shrines, is performed. It is performed to seek permission to carry the Kavadi and involves offering prayers to Idumban with milk and fruits.
  • Day 2 & 3: dedicated to various rituals involved in Kavadi Alms.
  • Day 4: Thaiposam & Kavadiyattam festival involving three main types of Kavadis as mentioned below:
  • Paal Kavadi: Pots of milk are carried on the heads.
  • Mayil Kavadi: Decorated with peacock feathers to represent the peacock, the vehicle of Subramanya Swami.
  • Vel Kavadi: Involves different types of body piercings by the devotees, like the skin, cheeks and tongue, with “vel” (spears). (You can also read about the ‘Mayana Kollai festival‘ to understand similar rituals that are performed in Tamil Nadu.)

To be continued as “A grand celebration of masks- Padayani Festival at Othera”

Festivals of India, Goa, Indian Architecture, Statewise Travel

Goa backpacking: Makarotsav Celebration and Temple Hopping

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Continued from Goa backpacking: Mahavir National Park.

I returned to Goa with a friend to spend our Dasara vacation and we chose to stay put at the same homestay in Colva that was our base while my family and I had explored Madgaon, Old Goa, and its surroundings during our earlier visit. Everybody associates Goa with the yuletide cheer, but my friend and I were more inclined towards experiencing Goa’s unique tradition of Makarotsav as part of the Dasara festival celebration. We had heard about it through our friends belonging to the Saraswat Brahmin communities, most of whose Kula devata (patron God of their community) happen to be in Goa.

What is Makarotsav?

“Makar’ is a boxy frame like swing decorated beautifully and carries the idol of the deity. It is rocked to the rhythmic beats of dhols, Tasha, temple bells along with Aarti. The history of this unique Dasara tradition dates to the 16th Century. During the Portuguese rule, several Hindu temples were destroyed across Goa. Many people fled these places overnight and arrived at the forests of Ponda region to take refuge.

It is said that these Hindus also carried their deities along with them which were installed across the region. Since then, Makarotsav has become a symbolic celebration. The act of ‘Swinging the deity’ is a representation of their God being with them in times of hardship, moving, swaying and living among the people.

The original sites at which the idols were installed eventually saw significant renovations under the Maratha rule. The style of temple architecture is typical to the region and is a blend of domes, pillars, and large lamp posts/towers in the courtyard. Some of the oldest structures that still stand strong bear the original wooden bars, intricate paintings alongside reliefs and carvings in their original condition. Water tanks or Kalyanis, are integral to the vast premises housing these temples.

Where can I witness Makarotsav?

Today, Ponda has the highest density of Hindu temples across the state of Goa and therefore revered as the Temple town of Goa. ‘Makarotsav’ is celebrated in most temples in and around Ponda which can be broadly classified into three categories. Temples that worship Shiva, Temples that worship Vishnu and Temples that worship Parvathi (Shakthi). Goddess Parvathi is worshipped as Shanta Durga and is believed to be the guardian of every village.

The legend has it that Goddess Shantadurga is the one who mediated peace between Shiva & Vishnu when they fought to establish who was the greatest among the two of them. Hence, her name is Shanta+Durga, a combination of two words ‘Shanthi+Shakthi. The Goddess is (Peaceful) Gentle enough to resolve any egos and (Brave) fierce enough to slay any demons. There are over 20 temples dedicated to Shantadurga located across Ponda and its surroundings where one can participate in Makarotsav.

The celebration happens simultaneously at different temples on all nine days of the Navaratri /Dasara festival, usually starting by 08.00.p.m. and finishing by 11.00.p.m. Hence, it is difficult to cover all temples in just 1 or 2 days, and requires detailed scheduling to take part in as many Makarotsavs as possible.

Shri Shantadurga temple, Kavalem
Shri Shantadurga temple, Kavalem

Below is the list of temples we visited on one of the evenings. We had planned them considering their proximity to each other and before knowing the timing of the Makarotsav at each temple.

1. Shree Shanta Durga, Kavalem (Temple dedicated to goddess Parvathi): This was our first stop by around 08.00.p.m. The outside of this temple felt like a village fair with lot of makeshift stalls selling things. It was crowded at the time of our visit, and we saw the Makar still being decorated extremely elaborately. We waited for some time in the belief that the utsav would start but we were told that it was scheduled for later at 10.30.p.m. Meanwhile, we were invited for dinner at the temple’s dining hall. However, we chose to politely reject since we had eaten a light meal before arriving. We decided to visit other temples in our list without spending further time waiting there. Our plan was to witness the utsav at whichever temple we arrived at, at the time or return to this place by 10.30.p.m as the case may turn out.

2. Shri Shanta Durga Shankleshwari temple, Veling (Temple dedicated to goddess Parvathi): It was roughly 09.30.p.m. when we arrived here by chance, on our pursuit to a different temple. But we considered ourselves most fortunate as we had come just in time before the Makarotsav started. We found ourselves on the floor, somewhere in the front with a good view of the Makar. The celebration lasted for about 45 minutes post which a large queue was formed to distribute the prasada offerings comprising of Black-chana dal salad, cut fruits and whole fruits. We devoured them and quickly proceeded towards the next temple located a short distance away where we were told that the Makarotsav was about to begin.

Shri Shantadurga Shankaleshwari Makarotsav
Shri Shantadurga Shankaleshwari Makarotsav

3. Shree Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Veling (Temple dedicated to Vishnu): The most beautiful temple I have been to on this trip, the temple complex has retained most of its old-world feel. The smell of seasoned wood used in its constructions, the frescos and paintings and the moss-laden temple tank with a backdrop of coconut and banana trees had all my heart. The Makarotsav began by 10.00.p.m. with the idol of Lord Narasimha and it was a transcending experience. The prasada was distributed to all devotees to wherever they were seated and the crowd dispersed immediately after the utsav had ended.

Shri Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Veling, Goa
Shri Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Veling

4. Shree Mahalasa Narayani, Mardol (Temple dedicated to Shakthi): Mahalasa is venerated in two forms in Goa. Mahalasa Narayani to be a female avatar (Mohin) of Vishnu and as a form of Parvathi, consort of Khandoba (a form of Shiva). One of the must-visit temples in this circuit, we missed the Makarotsav as the timing overlapped with Shree Lakshmi Narasimha temple and hence, we could only see the temple by requesting us get a glimpse while the security guards were closing the gates and not witness the Utsav.

5. Shree Mangesh temple, Mardol (Temple dedicated to Shiva): Our next stop was at yet another famous temple in this circuit, well after everything had wrapped up for the day. It was well past 11.30.p.m and hence, I had to make peace just seeing the temple arch.

6. Shree Kamakshi, Shirodha (Temple dedicated to goddess Parvathi): We visited this temple around afternoon, hence could not see the Makarotsav. However, the Makar was available but closed for viewing until evening. But for us the visit, though in the afternoon was still a highlight of temple hopping thus far because we had ended up here by chance on a random countryside exploration of Rachol (Written about in a separate post). But I got lucky to devour the hearty lunch at the temple distributed to everybody who came. Genuinely, it was unexpected and tasted so divine. We spent enough time resting on its courtyard before proceeding towards our next destination.

Shri Kamakshi temple, Shiroda, Goa
Shri Kamakshi temple, Shiroda

7. Vimleshwar temple, Rivona (Temple dedicated to Shiva): We arrived at this temple just when it had opened early in the evening and while we were on our way back from our Netravali exploration (Written about in a separate post). We did see the Makar carrying the idol of Lord Vimleshwar and all decorated for the Utsav but were quite early for the Utsav which was scheduled to start later around 08.00.p.m. as per the priest with whom we got talking. Without anybody else at the time of our visit and the strong energy of the temple itself, it was truly a wonderful time.

8. Damodar Sansthan, Fatorda (Temple dedicated to Shiva): Despite Damodar recognized as one of the names of Lord Vishnu elsewhere across regions where Hinduism is practiced, it is a reference to Lord Shiva in Goa. A massive temple complex in expanse, we happened to drop by here while on our way to Colva from Netravall. Our visit was unplanned. Hence, our attire was messy, and rain soaked but not as bad that we had to be chased out of the temple by the presiding priest. Therefore, we left without seeing the idol or anything else inside the temple despite having stepped inside.

What happens at the Makarotsav?

The main deity inside the sanctum sanctorum is worshipped in various forms like anthill, wooden sculpture, Kalasa, brass, bronze idols etc. depending on the local legend about the deity. However, the Utsava Moorthi (idol) placed in the Makar is different from that worshipped inside the sanctum.

As a basic feature of all Makarotsavs, the rocking/ swinging of the wooden frame (Makar) to rhythmic sound of the instruments and Aarti is same across all temples. However, the beats of the music and the procedures preceding or succeeding the Utsav differ slightly from temple to temple. Once the swinging ceremony is completed, the following rituals may vary from temple to temple. For example, we witnessed it at two temples.

At the Shri Shanta Durga Shankleshwari temple in Veling, the floral decorations adorning the deity are auctioned among the gathered people. This is a way of raising funds for the upkeep of the temple and its maintenance. The prasad was served where in the devotees had to stand in queue to collect it. At the Shree Lakshmi Narasimha temple, The Prasada was distributed in pre-packed disposable leaf bowls to wherever the devotees were seated even as the Makarotsav was going on. There was no auctioning of anything associated with the temple or the Pooja. Even waste bins were kept across the main hall to collect the waste so that all could leave the premises as soon as the celebration was over and the gates were quickly closed for the day.

While the Makar was adorned and kept ready for viewing of everyone at the Vimleshwar temple by 05.00.p.m., at the other Shanta Durga temples that we visited, the decorated Makar was closed with a curtain and opened for public viewing just before the start of the Aarti. This might be something else in other temples.

If you know any other practice at any other temple that celebrates Makarotsav, share it with me in the comments below.

To be continued as Goa backpacking: Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary.

Festivals of India, Uttar Pradesh

Part 1- The Story of The Maha Kumbh and the Naga Sadhus

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The Kumbh Mela is the largest human gathering in the world, at least according to my school lessons. Since then, I’ve been curious to see what this massive congregation looks like. I happened to redo most of this route again in the company of another friend when I decided to witness the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2025.

By 2025, with the ability to fund my own travel and enough mental maturity to understand the world, I planned to attend the ‘Maha Kumbh Mela,’ scheduled for 45 days starting from the day of Makar Sankranti in January 2025 and ending on Maha Shivaratri in February 2025. Initially, I planned everything for a solo trip. Considering my leave, expected crowds, and other factors, I intended to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam in Prayag on Shivaratri. I had booked flights and accommodation well in advance. However, as the Kumbh Mela approached, news spread rapidly about this rare celestial event happening once every 144 years, attracting people worldwide eager to dip in the river. Many flocked to the site, driven more by FOMO, less by spirituality. Due to this unprecedented rush, transportation and public infrastructure were eventually overwhelmed. One of my friends decided to join me in my quest to wash away all my sins in the river confluence.

My plan was finalised well before the global frenzy began. I had a clear list of places I wanted to visit, the order of my travels, and the experiences I sought. This was the condition I set for my friend before accepting her request to join me. We flew from Bangalore to Ayodhya, where I finally got to see the Ram temple after his return from Vanavas. (My previous visit to Ayodhya has been detailed in a separate post). From there, the plan was to take the train to Prayag to experience the energy of the Kumbh Mela during its last two days. Afterwards, we would travel by train to Banaras, stay for a few days without a fixed itinerary, and then fly back to Bangalore.

When we reached Ayodhya, the small pilgrimage town was packed with crowds. Luckily, we had secured a slot to visit the Ram temple through online booking after staying awake until midnight, two weeks earlier. That sleepless night made our Shri Ram darshan quick and smooth. Without staying on the crowded streets, we slept through the night to catch the morning train to Prayag. Media reports emphasized the massive crowds at all railway stations around Prayag, raising our concerns before we arrived. We heard that daily visitors could reach 1-2 crores, excluding the main ‘Snan / Royal Bath’ days during the mela.

The Crowd at Hanuman Garhi temple, Ayodhya
The Crowd at Hanuman Garhi temple, Ayodhya

We had a small list of things to do and experience, that were exclusive to the Kumbh Mela. Upon alighting at Prayag, two things happened. First, apart from the holy dip in the confluence, another priority was to see and interact with the Naga Sadhus. We believed this was a golden opportunity to experience the energy of so many ascetics in the same place who otherwise live in solitary dwellings in remote natural areas like mountains, forests or caves. However, we learnt that most Nagas had left the mela after the royal bath on the day of Basanth Panchami.

Second, I received an SMS notification on my phone that the scheduled train from Prayag to Banaras on the MahaShivaratri day had been cancelled, as a precautionary to avoid a stampede like situation that had happened on the day of the holy bath on Mauni Amavasya. This was the same train in which he had a confirmed ticket to Banaras. This cancellation then put us in even more distress wondering how we are going to navigate our travel through the crammed-up transportation system that had garnered widespread coverage on media.

After arriving at Prayag railway station, there was still hope. Things didn’t seem as bad as we had imagined, and it was rather easy to navigate from the station to the hotel we had booked earlier. Also, during other occasions, the Nagas belonging to the major thirteen Akhadas leave for their abodes after the Kumbh mela. But this time was special, the last day of the Kumbh coincided with the Maha Shivaratri. They had all headed to Banaras, for the Lord’s darshan on the most important night of their Adi Guru, Lord Shiva. We still had a probability to see them all if we reached Banaras for Shivaratri. But, we had planned to take our holy dip on that same day as it was one of the most important bathing days.

On the other hand, some good Samaritans recommended us to leave Prayag before the last day of the mela as a large crowd was expected to flock to not miss out the once in 144 years opportunity to wash off their sins. All holy sites and landmarks within the proximity of the confluence were closed for the next couple of days to avoid overcrowding. Roads would be blocked for vehicular movement and reaching either the airport, railway stations or bus stations would be far off to be accessible by foot. Finding some wisdom in the words of so many people, my friend and I both decided to reschedule our plan for Prayag.

Bird's eye view of Triveni Sangam, Prayag
Bird’s eye view of Triveni Sangam, Prayag

Accordingly, after freshening up in our tented accommodation by late noon, we set out on a triple riding bike taxi to complete few of the things from our to-do list. Firstly, we tried para-motoring. Getting a bird’s eye view of the massive wall of the Allahabad fort setting a backdrop for the holy confluence and the tent city was a beautiful experience we had waited for. From there, we went visiting the temporary sets of the twelve jyotirlingas and finally reaching for the Ganga aarti at the ghat. We participated in the bhajans, did the aarti and slid into the warmth of the blankets in our tent.

Early morning boat ride to the Sangam, Prayagraj
Early morning boat ride to the Sangam, Prayagraj

We woke up the following morning to board the boat that we had booked on the previous evening. The biting cold temperature made us a little hesitant to take the dip, but when we finally reached the confluence- the energy felt different. We both thanked the waters, greeted the rising sun and dipped ourselves in the Triveni Sangam, praying for good of us, our families and the world. It was a moment that I had looked forward to all my life, that twinkle in the eyes of the younger me was beaming with joy.

The Sangam dip during MahaKumbha 2025
The Sangam dip during MahaKumbha 2025

After changing into dry clothes, we packed up and decided to move out of Prayag at the earliest. We hired bike taxis to reach a bus-station located on the outskirts of Prayag. To our surprise upon reaching, none of the buses were as crowded as we had expected them to be. Each bus left the stands as soon as the seats were occupied. The frequency was such that no passengers needed to stand on the aisle for their journey to Banaras from Prayag. The journey was smooth and rather on time, thanks to dedicated lanes marked for local and outside registered vehicles each and for public buses.

Continued as Part 2: The Story of The Maha Shivaratri and the Naga Sadhus

Bangalore day trips, Festivals of India, Karnataka

Three immersive cultural experiences in Bengaluru

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Despite being a cosmopolitan hub, Bengaluru is a metropolis that still firmly holds onto its cultural essence. There may be several festivals being celebrated year-round and across the city but a few of them transcend beyond any religion and community and are rather synonymous with the city’s name. Through this post, I would like to enumerate three such festivals that must be on any Bengaluru resident or tourist’s list of experiences whilst in the city.

1. Bengaluru Karaga

    This nine-day festival is a reverence to Adishakti Draupadi and a celebration of her annual homecoming to earth from heaven, on the day of Chaitra Poornami as per the Hindu calendar. Although a main festival of the Thigala community living across Karnataka, people of all castes and religions participate in it. The Karaga bearer (the chief person in the festivities) carries the Karaga (the deity) bedecked with jasmine flowers and begins the procession from Shri Dharmaraya Swamy temple in Nagarathpete, in old Bengaluru. The Karaga bearer is accompanied by the gante dhaari (bell bearer) and hundreds of veerakumaras who together traverse across the streets of the Bengaluru Pete area. The Karaga visits all the temples and the Mastan Saheba Dargah that come along the route until they return to the Shri Dharmaraya Swamy temple before dawn break the following morning.

    Though the festival is observed for nine days, the rituals involving the Karaga bearer spans over several months prior to it. One part of the ritual involves the Karaga bearer undergoing his strength and weight training at one of the several Garadi mane (traditional gyms). Hence, these Garadi manes are considered holy places where replicas of the Karaga and placed and worshipped during the festival. Also, several temples located in the Pete area take out floral palanquins of their deities on procession across the streets of Pete. All these things make Bengaluru Karaga, a special experience.

    Similar Karaga festivals are observed in outskirts of Bengaluru like Hoskote, Kolar, Malur etc. But Bengaluru Karaga is one of its kind and experiences.

    2. Ulsoor Poo Pallakki Utsava

    Bangalore’s reputation as a garden city finds a reflection in various traditional festivities of the city. Just as flowers are integral to Karaga, there is another famous festival that has flowers in its very name. The ‘Poo Pallakki Utsava’ is an annual car festival celebrated as part of the Someshwara temple festival in the old locality of Ulsoor. Albeit being a temple festival, it is rather better known as an annual competition between gods and goddesses from temples in and around Ulsoor over which one arrives in the best flower-bedecked palanquin. The car festival is believed to be the wedding day of Someshwara with Kamakshi, and flowers are the theme of all decorations.

    There will be over 80 poo pallakkis from the surrounding temples who attend the wedding celebration of Sri Someshwara Temple with Goddess Kamakshi. The grandest Poo Pallaki is one of the bride, Goddess Kamakshi. Celebrated annually during the Hindu month of Chaitra (around April/May), it is a night long event.

    3. Kadlekai Parishe

    ‘Kadlekai Parishe’ translating to ‘groundnut fair’ in Kannada is an annual coming together of farmers on the last Monday of Karthika Masa (month in Hindu calendar) celebrated since the 16th century. Legend has it that a raging bull used to damage the groundnut crops that were ready for harvest. The farmers prayed to Basava (bull in Kannada) to protect their harvest, by setting up an idol of a Nandi (Basava / Bull) and a temple at that place and offered their first crop to the Lord. This temple is called Basavanagudi (Bull temple) and the area surrounding it eventually came to be known by the name of the temple.

    Although the groundnut farms made way to residential and commercial structures, the tradition of the groundnut fair is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm even today. Farmers from across the state bring their first yield of ground nuts to offer to the temple and to sell them to others during this festival.

    More recently, a similar event is being organized in Malleswaram, around the Kadu Malleswara temple as well.

      Festivals of India

      A Series- Festivals of Kodagu

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      The Kodavas and the other native tribes inhabiting the Kodagu region are primarily nature worshippers. There is no idol worship, and the five elements of nature and the guiding spirits of their ancestors are central to their worship. However, there are several other deities that are associated with the Kodava folklore and the regional culture in general. As per some historians, the worship of Shiva and Parvathi, which is also integral in Kodava folklore, can be attributed to the influences of the Haleri kingdom’s rule.

      “A Mahadeva (Shiva) for each province, Povvadi / Bhadrakali / Bagavathi (Parvathi) for each hometown, Aiyappa for each village, Natha (snake god) for each lane and Puda (indigenous soil lord) for each family,” goes a Kodava saying. In Kodagu, Mahadeva and Bhadrakali are worshipped in temples that are built and managed by the respective villagers. On the other hand, Choundi and Ayyappa are forest dwellers. They mostly live in ‘Devara Kaadu’, the sacred groves.

      Although the chief deities are the same in every province or hometown or village, the way they are worshipped is unique to every temple. The rituals and ceremonies vary depending on the folklore in which its roots are embedded. These stories are compelling and narrate the importance of connections with the motherland and nature worship. Bright colours, earthy music and traditional dances mark these festivals.

      While the main festivals of the community like ‘Kailpodh’, ‘Edamyar’, ‘Puthari’ and Kaveri Sankramana and the older tradition of Nari-Mangala have been well documented through several mediums, it is these indigenous and lesser-known local festivals of Kodagu that I would like to experience and document, one festival at a time.

      I would like to hence, start this series- “Festivals of Kodagu”. The purpose of this series is only for documentation of lesser-known festivals. All the information shared through my series’ posts are based purely on what I could gather by discussing with people who are closely associated with the temple or are natives of each village. My apologies for any wrong representations. Readers are welcome to contribute any information that is deemed important and useful to be shared here.

      1. The abandoned tribes and the abuses- Kunde Habba
      2. The Boad Namme of Chembebellur
      3. The Povvadi Namme of Ibbanivalavadi

      More to come….

      Festivals of India, Tamil Nadu

      India’s largest Cattle fair- Anthiyur Gurunathaswamy temple

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      When a friend mentioned taking a road trip to a fair at Anthiyur village, neither of us had many expectations. What can one expect at a village festival in India, after all? All that we had learnt before commencing our road trip was that it was a cattle fair, which was held as part of the annual festival of the Gurunathaswamy temple at Anthiyur village. Supplemented by a handful of YouTube videos in Tamil, we decided to take the long drive from Bangalore to spend a weekend.

      We started from Bangalore before dawn to reach Anthiyur at the earliest and get sufficient time to see all the cattle stalls before returning. But only to our surprise, the scale of this temple village fair was anything beyond our imagination. Neither of us had seen or heard of a small village festival to be of such a large scale and spread.

      The beautiful hills around Anthiyur village
      The beautiful hills around Anthiyur village

      Mythology of Anthiyur Gurunathar temple:

      The story dates to around 600 years, when there lived a clan near Pichavaram forest, that worshipped three stones known as ‘Kutty Aandavar’ (translates to ‘Small God’, in Tamil). The local ruler wanted to marry the priest’s daughter. However, the priest’s family was against the marriage proposal. Meanwhile, one of the members of the priest’s clan gets possessed by their deity’s spirit, and the family is told to abandon the village along with the three prayer stones to avoid the outrage of the ruler’s anger. Following this, the family started to move north until they found a safe place to settle down. At some point, the family felt that their survival was going to be difficult and that the stones being carried by them were an additional burden. Hence, they continued their journey by throwing the stones into a nearby pond. They halted at Anthiyur for the night.

      On the following morning, Santhakumaran (one of the family members) was surprised to find the same three stones back in his bag. They realized the powers of their deity and resumed worship of the stones by giving them three different names. The first stone was called Kamatchi, the second one was Perumal (Vishnu), and the last one was Gurunatha Swamy (a combination of Shiva and Kantha).

      During the festival, three deities are taken on a procession from the main shrine at Anthiyur village to a temple in the nearby forest. As per mythology, a demon is believed to have occupied the forest in which Goddess Kamatchiamman wanted to reside. A fierce war was then fought between Veerabhadra (the warrior assistant of the Lord, protector of Kamatchi-amman) and the demon, in which the demon eventually surrendered. It is said that instead of leaving the forest, the demon requested lord Gurunathar to allow him to stay there on a condition that Kamatchiamman came there once a year to visit him. However, Veerabhadra agreed to this on the condition that he, too, was allowed to stay in the same forest. This temple is today called Vanakovil (translates to ‘Temple in the forest’ in Tamil), where Kamatchiamman is brought in a palanquin from the main temple.

      The history of the Anthiyur temple festival

      The current temple structure is believed to have been built by the Pandya kings. The Gurunathar temple houses an 11*11*11 feet kulukai. A kulukai is a large earthen storage container mainly used for storing food grains, with a large opening at the top (to fill the container) and a small vent at the bottom (to take the grains out for consumption). It is believed that the kulukai in this temple is used to store the jewels and other items related to worship, and is guarded by snakes. Only the head priest is allowed to enter the container and access the stored things, and is unharmed by the guarding snakes. Therefore, this kulukai is worshipped by the local people and it is believed to keep them safe from reptiles, scorpions, etc.

      The month-long temple festival held during the Aadi month of the Tamil calendar hosts a range of unique rituals and celebrations during this time. Temple cars built for each deity are prepared and managed by the respective caste of people. Two large, towering, nicely decorated temple cars (the largest is of Gurunathaswamy and the smaller is of Perumal Swamy) are pulled by thousands of devotees who gather from across the nearby villages, from the main Gurunathaswamy temple to the Vanakovil and back. Today, animal sacrifice is practiced in Vanakovil.

      The history of the Anthiyur cattle fair

      A four-day-long cattle fair is, however, the highlight of the festival for which people come from across the districts of Tamil Nadu and the states of India. There are only two cattle fairs held at this scale in India. First, at Anthiyur (more popular for the horse fair) and second, at Pushkar in Rajasthan (Primarily a Camel fair). The history of the ‘Kudurai Santhai’ (the Horse fair) dates to the times when Tipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore. He visited this cattle market to buy the best horses for his cavalry and sold his horses that were no longer fit for battles.

      It has, over time, gained popularity among horse enthusiasts across the country who consider buying horses from this market as a matter of pride and prestige. The cost of each horse can range anywhere between 50 thousand to 50 lakhs rupees. Today, apart from buying and selling horses at the ‘Kudurai Santhai’, many horse owners come here to simply display their prized possessions. One gets to see stallions, mares, sires, and ponies of various native indigenous and pure breeds here. Some horses are made to perform to drumbeats and kept on exhibition. On the last day of the four-day-long ‘horse fair’, Geegees are judged based on their structure, build, and looks, and finally, awards are given away. On the day we visited in 2023, there were over 1000 horses at the fair brought in for various purposes.

      All accessories, equipment, and other things that are associated with horse-keeping and equestrian training can be found and are sold here. Apart from horses, this fair is also the largest marketplace in India for other breeds of cattle and livestock like cows, goats, sheep, camels, rabbits, dogs, and birds. With encouragement given to native breeds, it is a great experience to see cattle across the 34+ acres of land.

      Largest Makeshift Amusement Park:

      To supplement the cattle markets, there is a makeshift amusement park set up, which is also by far the largest makeshift amusement park I have ever seen. Over ten giant wheels, rollercoasters, circus tents, and at least three globes of death are set up among several other types of amusement rides. The energy and ecstasy of this fair is all together only to be witnessed rather than to be read about.

      Anthiyur festival
      The makeshift amusement park at Anthiyur festival

      Souvenirs bought:

      • Bamboo staff- You will find people buying them, as it is considered auspicious to keep this weapon of Gurunathar Swamy at home.
      • Colorful horse whips
      • Horseshoes- this is believed to absorb negative energy if hung at the entrance of houses.

      Disclaimer: This article is posted to document folklore and lesser-known festivals of India. If any mistakes are found, it could be based on what was heard as stories. Kindly comment below or message directly for any corrections required.

      Festivals of India, Karnataka

      The Boad Namme of Chembebellur

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      ‘Boad’ in Kodava language means to beg/ request. ‘Namme’ translates to ‘festival.’ Thus, the ‘Boad Namme’ can be loosely called as the festival in which the people of Kodagu request ‘Goddess Bhagavati’ to grant their wishes.

      The Boad namme is observed across Bhagavathi temples located in several villages in the southern part of Kodagu district, in series. The first Boad of the year starts at the temple of Kunda and the last one is observed at Parana village. Kudure (Horse) worship is an integral part of the Boad namme. In this, a young boy belonging to a designated clan from the respective village dresses up in the costumes of a horse and participates in the various ceremonies during the festival. Hence, it is said that ‘Kundath-ra Bott-le nenda Kudure, Parana mani-le ilinja Kudure.’ Translating to ‘the horse which rises at Kunda will only settle at Parana.’

      I will talk about these two Boad festivals in separate posts. Among a series of all other Boad namme that are observed across villages in South Kodagu, I am starting from the middle, at Chembebellur village. The Boad Namme of Chembebellur is among the most popular of them all. It is observed over a period of four days and usually happens around the last week of April of each year.

      Day one is Pattani. People belonging to all the native clans of Chembebellur observe ‘Fast’ on this day.

      Day two is Kudure. Three young boys representing three clans of the three main Keris (areas) of Chembebellur i.e., Ajjinakanda clan of Podakeri, Coluvanda clan of Podakote and Chembanda clan of Nadikeri wear the costumes resembling horses (Kudure) and start from their respective Ain mane (clan’s ancestral home). They are accompanied by men impersonating other local deities of the village like Choundi, Aiyappa and the others during their march towards the Bhadrakali temple where they all assemble and hold the following rituals. Post this, there is a fire set up in front of the temple in which effigies are burnt.

      Kudure at Chembebellur Bhadrakali temple
      Day 2: Kudure at Chembebellur Bhadrakali temple

      The gathering then moves towards the village’s ‘Eshwara temple’ where the rest of the men and boys of all age groups dress up in various costumes. This dressing-up is a form of a vow they make to invoke Goddess Bhadrakali’s blessings. The costumes could range from traditional Bund-kali (Mud-smearing), Pill-Bhoota (Hay man), Puli-vesha (Tiger costume) etc. to more modern forms of cricketers, Llamas, swamijis, seducers etc. These dressed up men folk visit every house of Chembebellur asking/begging’ for alms all night and it is a fun time for all the households who host these men in the houses.

      Day Three is Boad. This part of the festival is the most awaited and the highlight of the four-day celebration. All the dressed men congregate at the Bhadrakali temple in the afternoon. They are accompanied by the men impersonating the local deities as well. They all together circumambulate the temple thrice and go around begging form alms from the thousands of people who gather there to participate in the festivities. The end of the circumambulation marks the end of the Boad where all the men collectively offer all the money collected through begging to the Goddess and seek her blessings.

      Day 3- Boad festival at Chembebellur Bhadrakali temple

      Day four is Choole. Young boys who are yet to reach adolescence, cross-dress in attire of Kodava women and offer their prayers at the Bhadrakali temple. This day marks the end of a fun and yet traditionally rooted festival of Chembebellur, paving way for a Boad namme to start at yet another village of South Kodagu.

      Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is for documentation of lesser known festivals of India. The above information is only based on what I could gather by discussing with people who had gathered at the temple. My apologies for any wrong representation. Readers are welcome to contribute any information that is deemed important and useful to be shared here.

      Art & Craft, Regional Food, Statewise Travel, Tamil Nadu

      A Rare Connection of Hockey Between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

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      I have been fortunate to meet many like-minded people online, through travel blogging. Recently, I happened to meet one of such friends offline, during his visit to Bangalore. He greeted me with a souvenir, a nice palm leaf box containing chikkis. He explained that it was the ‘panai olai petti’ containing the famous candies from his hometown. After I returned home, a little bit of online browsing about this souvenir unfolded some interesting facts for me.

      The palm leaf box containing the Kovilpatti chikki
      The palm leaf box containing the Kovilpatti chikki

      Talking about the southern states of India, two neighbours have a lot in common. What triggered this thought were the names of places starting with the letter ‘K’, one from each state. Kodagu and Kovilpatti from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu respectively. Meanwhile, the ‘C’ is what makes these two ‘K’ places famous. ‘Cauvery’, the holy river originates in Kodagu and ‘Chikkis’, the peanut candies of Kovilpatti has earned a GI tag for itself. Enough is written and done on the internet about either of the places.

      Palm leaf boxes of Kovilpatti mithai being Repurposed as planters
      Palm leaf boxes of Kovilpatti mithai being Repurposed as planters

      But what turned out to be more surprising and a rather rare connection between the two ‘K’ places of these states is their common love for the National sport of India- Hockey. In my earlier post, I have mentioned how the largest festival in the world dedicated for any sport (hockey) is celebrated in Kodagu. But what I learn now is that Kovilpatti too, shares its history with Indian military and the influences of the British to have a strong hockey culture. With at least a dozen hockey clubs and several players making it to the Indian national team over time, the people of Kovilpatti have an unabated enthusiasm for the national sport.

      What I do know is, that there are several other lesser-known places in India where people celebrate sports other than cricket. Only initiatives by governments, support from sponsors and adequate media publicity can encourage and motivate more people to nurture a sporting culture in our country, anything other than cricket.

      Time Travel

      I Belong to Everywhere: Kumbaldal

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      This is an attempt to bring back nostalgia. Continued from- “I Belong to Everywhere: Ontiangadi“.

      Kumbaldal is a village in Madikeri taluk, north of Kodagu district. The descendance of my maternal lineage belongs to this village. Currently, my uncle stays here with his family.

      This award-winning wildlife photograph not often but always brings back memories of simply being at Kumbaldal.

      'Lights of Passion’, An award winning photograph of the bioluminiscent fireflies in the Western ghats
      ‘Lights of Passion’ fetched Aishwarya the ‘Highly Commended’ award at the 56th Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards (2020) under the ‘Behaviour-Invertebrates’ category. | Photo Credit: Aishwarya Sridhar

      If you are there at the right time, then your senses can feast on bioluminescence. Millions of fireflies rest on the ground under the coffee plants all night and it literally feels as if you are standing on the porch of a mud house that is surrounded with a zillion flashlights. No words of mine can justify what I want to express! But, what I now realize is that the experience is not the same anymore. The usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides have done damage that’s beyond repair to the environment. Going organic would need several decades to fix these glow worms and fireflies back into their normal habitat.

      Every village in Kodagu has its own deity and it is quite an experience to participate in these local festivals. At Kumbaldal, the temple’s Kuli kund (the holy bathing pond) happens to be in our land. Hence, the idol of the presiding deity of the village is brought to our farm for the first ceremonial formalities during the village’s annual festival.

      The annual village festival at Kumbaldal
      The annual village festival at Kumbaldal

      Not until late 2010-ish, that this village house had an electricity connection. The lifestyle was rustic and charming, to say the least. Mud smeared walls, cow dung smeared frontal yard and prayer room, firewood cooked food, kerosene lit lanterns and a perfectly mountain facing portico: Why wouldn’t anyone want a vacation like this! For me, my visits to this village were wholesome experiences.

      The kitchen at the Kumbaldal house
      The kitchen at the Kumbaldal house

      Accessibility being scarce for reaching the commercial areas as and when required, the food and the entertainment at uncle’s house used to be the most traditionally rooted. Even to date, a visit to Kumbaldal is welcomed with a festive spread that largely comprises of the traditional Kodava recipes and prepared with the locally available ingredients as much as possible.

      When I think of Kumbaldal, it reminds me of staying rooted to my culture and grounded with a minimalistic lifestyle. if you liked this story, you might also want to give a read to: “The monsoon delicacies of Coorg” for some more nostalgia.

      To be continued as- “I Belong to Everywhere: Sadashivanagar“

      Chattisgarh

      Visiting a Gotul- A Bastar experience

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      For someone visiting Chhattisgarh, experiencing the tribal culture and enjoying the rawness of the natural landscape in Bastar would undeniably be the priority. If you are lucky, then you might get the opportunity to visit a tribal Ghotul. A Ghotul is a structure that accommodates people. It is either an open arena with earthen floors, without walls and with roofs laid with wood and hay or it is a completely closed structure built with earthen walls decorated with various murals. ‘But what is so ho about it?’, one may ask.

      The Muriya girls with a Ghotul in the backdrop

      The primary purpose of a Ghotul is what makes it important in the regional culture of Bastar in Chhattisgarh. It is a socializing club for the unmarried youth of the Muriya and the Gond tribes which also in some parts, serve as a dormitory for the registered members. Young boys and girls register themselves with a Ghotul of a particular village or area when they hit adolescence and the functioning of this traditional club is presided over by a head boy and a head girl from the respective tribe. Here, every evening, the members gather and learn the essentials of taking up a new life ahead of them. Reaching adolescence means that they have become eligible to get married and take upon the responsibilities of running a family. So, they are taught all the required life skills like managing a house and a family, folk traditions, music, cooking, religion, cleanliness, discipline, sympathy and everything else. The whole idea is to pass on and contain the traditions within the tribe.

      The celebration dance by the Muriya tribes for hunting a game

      This also promotes inter-tribe or inter-Ghotul weddings so that a member of a particular tribe doesn’t leave the community and the strength of the community is sustained. While pre-marital sex is considered as a taboo elsewhere in India, this culture encourages the youth to indulge in sexual activities to find the most compatible life partner. It is said that if a member of a Ghotul gets pregnant and doesn’t know who the father of the baby is, the village will adopt the baby and nurtures it as everyone’s own child.

      Due to the rich ideology of conservation of the culture, people from across the globe come to study and understand the functioning of these Ghotuls. The Muriyas indulge in celebration of the little things from their daily lives. For example, after a successful hunt in the wild, a birth in the community, a betrothal, etc. They have about 12-15 different types of dances that they perform to celebrate these everyday joys. There are rituals and a sequential procedure on how the members need to conduct themselves in the course of visiting a Ghotul like getting ready, dressing up, assembly and starting the evening at the Ghotul.

      I got an opportunity to visit one such Ghotul and here is a video of a dance they performed for us.

      the Muriyas celebrating a game hunt at a Ghotul

      As a small introduction to the video above: In this dance, you can see two hunters dancing around and in between the other members, while musicians are standing in the middle and playing the traditional instruments. There are also a couple of men wearing head gears that look like chital / spotted-deer which indicates that this celebration is after a game was shot-down by the hunters and brought to the Ghotul for a feast.

      What are your thoughts and views about the Ghotul system? Share them with me through the comments below.