Thiruvathira falls on the month of Dhanu (December-January) and is a women's festival. It commemorates the death of Kamadeva, the cupid of Hindu mythology. The aim of the celebration is conjugal harmony and happiness. The dance form Thiruvathirkkali is associated with this celebration.
This festival is celebrated in the month of Vrischikam (Nov -Dec). Display of light in the evening is a unique part of the festival.
The birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great importance on this day. It is held in the month of Chingam (Aug- Sept). Devotees visit the Krishna temples where special Pooja and cultural programmes are held.
Literally Navarathri means Nine nights. This festival is celebrated for Navagraha Naayagi (Nine nymphs). It is called by different names in different parts of India. In Karnataka, it is called Dasara, in Bengal - Kali Pooja and in this state it is known as Saraswathy Pooja. Saraswathy is known as goddess of Knowledge. On this day all tools and books are kept for Pooja. Children who are to begin their schooling are made to write the first alphabet in rice with their finger.
Hindus celebrate Mahasivarathri, all over the world in Kumbam (Feb-March). It commemorates the day on which Lord Shiva consumed the deadly poison (Kalakuda visham) to save the world from destruction. The offering of special pooja and abhishekhams, and the presentation of cultural programmes in all the Shiva temples celebrate the day. The annual Sivarathri festival held on the banks of River 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.
The first month of Malayalam Calendar is Medam (April-May) and the first day of Medam is celebrated as Vishu, the New Year day. Begin an auspicious day; it is a common belief that the fortune of the coming year depends on the first day. So the first day begins with ceremony of Kani Kanal, which literally means first sight. At the dawn, the Malayali's begin the first day of the Year by waking up in front of Kani. The Kani includes gold ornament, white cloth, a measure of rice or paddy, bell metal mirror, flowers of the Konna tree (Cussia fistula), halved jack fruits, halved coconuts, yellow cucumber, and two standing oil lamps emitting sparkling light their eyes. Another interesting features of this day are Kaayi neetal where the elder members in the family gift money to the younger ones.
Kutukutu is an another popular and simple game in which two groups participate. A lot of spectators watch the game with enthusiasm. A line drawn at the centre divides the court into two, with outer lines drawn at the edges making the whole court a rectangle. One man from one group advances from the middle line towards the opponent's area uttering "kutu". Kutu Kutu Kutu...... in one continuous breath and rushes to the line of the opponents trying to touch them and run back to the central line without being caught. If he is physically caught and his breath goes out he is defeated.
Mirth and hilarity mark the life of the female members of the Tarawad during the Onam season. Young maidens decked in their gayest and finest attire and wearing beautiful and costly jewels spend the days in dancing and singing. The dancing is peculiar. They stand in a circle and dance. The evolutions are pretty and in keeping with the harmony of the vocal music. One of them leads off by singing the first couplet of a song which is caught up by the others in equally melodious and profuse strains. The leader then sings the second couplet followed by others as before and so on until the whole song is exhausted. When one strain is over another is set up and the singing and dancing is continuous till the shades of evening fall. The whole surrounding atmosphere of many a leading household is filled by the melody of the charming choir of lady singers adding to the jollity and attractiveness of the occasion all around.
Mirth and hilarity mark the life of the female members of the Tarawad during the Onam season. Young maidens decked in their gayest and finest attire and wearing beautiful and costly jewels spend the days in dancing and singing. The dancing is peculiar. They stand in a circle and dance. The evolutions are pretty and in keeping with the harmony of the vocal music. One of them leads off by singing the first couplet of a song which is caught up by the others in equally melodious and profuse strains. The leader then sings the second couplet followed by others as before and so on until the whole song is exhausted. When one strain is over another is set up and the singing and dancing is continuous till the shades of evening fall. The whole surrounding atmosphere of many a leading household is filled by the melody of the charming choir of lady singers adding to the jollity and attractiveness of the occasion all around.
Come August and the South Indian state of Kerala bustles with festivities. Rural Kerala ignites in a passion so unique that its serene backwaters come alive by the splashing oars of the numerous boat races (vallamkali) that signify the onset of the harvest festival.
In fact, boats of the state are known after their shapes and purpose, such as the churulan vallam (race boat) - the two ends of this boat are shaped like a circular ring; kettu vallam (house boat) - once used for transportation of goods, it has now become one of the most exciting tourism product; iruttukuthy - its sleek design avoids friction with water and ensures fast journeys; and the vaipu vallam - with one end higher than the other, it is used mostly to transport passengers.
The most enchanting of all is the chundan vallam - the long boat shaped like a snake - made famous by the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, believed to be the largest team sport in the world.
It is a matter of pride and prestige and the cherished ambition of all boat clubs in the state to win the prestigious Nehru Trophy. The event is also promoted as a major tourist attraction, as it draws in a large number of travellers to the state.
Along with the increasing number of global tourists visiting Kerala during the festive season each year, more international participants are taking part in the boat races too. Last month, a 10-member Dubai team flew to Kerala to participate in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
The credit for the success of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is attributable to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Delighted by the team event held on the Punnamada backwaters of Alappuzha district in 1952, he instituted a trophy. The race came to be known as the 'Nehru Trophy Boat Race', annually conducted on the second Saturday of August.
The most remarkable feature of the snake boat race is its team spirit. It signifies the importance of unity, as a single mistake by even one oarsman can result in an imbalance and the overturning of the boat. As they advance to the finish line in vigour, the chundans appear like fast-moving snakes.
"And as the 'vanchipattu' gets louder, so does the excitement among the thousands of spectators gathered... a fascinating sight," says Santosh Kurup from Kottayam.
Sekharan Nair, who's been in the emirate for 27 years, says, "Onam here is just like any other festival or celebration - beginning and ending with food. Most children here have not seen a pulikali or heard a vanchipattu."
Several other boat races also take place across the backwaters of the state during the season, such as ATDC Boat Race in Alappuzha, Kumarakom Boat Race, Karuvatta Boat Race, Kottapuram Boat Race, etc.
The Aranmula Boat Race is more of a water fiesta than a competition.
All these races receive tremendous support from all sections of society
The Swaraj Ground in Kerala's Thrissur District play host to the vibrant 'Pulikkali' or 'Tiger Dance' festival every year in the month of August- September. Hundreds of males with huge bellies and children wearing tiger masks take part in the Tiger dance, that forms a key element of the popular harvest festival of Onam in Kerala.
Pulikali also known as Kaduvaakali, is a folk art form of Kerala in which artists paint themselves with tiger stripes of yellow, red and black, and dance to the rhythm of traditional percussion instruments such as thakil, udukku and chenda. The main theme of the dance is tiger hunting, and its origins are attributed to Muslims soldiers. Though the dance is performed all over Kerala during Onam, it has special significance in Palakkad and Thrissur districts. In Thrissur more than 800 people dressed as tigers from the neighbouring 14 village areas in the district, participate in the event held on the fourth day of Onam.
The origin of Pulikali dates back to over 200 years, when the King Ramavarma is said to have introduced the folk art during Muharram. Mohemeddan soldiers of the British army stationed in Thrissur in the Pattalam (army) area used to celebrate Muharram with great fervor. Along with the celebrations, they used to perform the art form decked as tigers with peculiar steps resembling the tiger, then known as 'Pulikkettikali' which was immensely enjoyed by the locals. Pulikali in Trichur is held in memory of this event.
Over the years, there has been changes in the adornment of Pulikali dancers. In the early days, masks were not used at all and participants would have themselves painted all over, on their faces as well. But now, ready made masks, cosmetic teeth, tongues, beards and mustaches are used by the participants along with the paint on their bodies. The tigers also wear a broad belt with jingles around their waist.
The festival in Thrissur has now become an all peoples event with huge response from people, especially youths who come forward to participate in the festival, and also from sponsors. The event is organised by the Pulikkali Co-ordination Committee, a unified council of Pulikkali groups formed in 2004 to preserve and propagate the art in all its true hues and tones.
A striking feature of this folk art is the colorful appearance of the performers. A particular combination of Tempra Powder and varnish or enamel is used to make the paint. First of all, the dancers remove the hair from the body, and then, the base coat of paints is applied on them. It takes two to three hours for the coating to dry. After that, the second coat of paint is applied with enhanced design. This entire procedure takes at least five to seven hours. A large number of artists gather to apply paint on the tigers. It is a meticulous process and start from the wee hours in the morning.
By afternoon the Pulikkali groups or 'sangams' as they are called, from all four corners of Thrissur move in a procession, dancing, pouncing and shaking their bellies to the beat of the drums through the streets to the Swaraj Ground situated in the heart of the city. Scenes such as the tiger preying on an animal, and a tiger being hunted by a game-hunter are enacted beautifully in between. Thousands of spectators line the streets enjoying the dance, cheering the dancers some of them even trying to join in.
The groups assemble at Naduvilal in the Swaraj ground in front of the Vadakkunnanthan temple and offer a coconut each to the deity of the Ganpathi shrine (Naduvilal Ganapathi Kovil) here, before going on a procession around the ground. The procession also include floats from each village. The different troupes vie with each other to make the best floats as well as the best dressed tigers.
Pulikali also known as Kaduvaakali, is a folk art form of Kerala in which artists paint themselves with tiger stripes of yellow, red and black, and dance to the rhythm of traditional percussion instruments such as thakil, udukku and chenda. The main theme of the dance is tiger hunting, and its origins are attributed to Muslims soldiers. Though the dance is performed all over Kerala during Onam, it has special significance in Palakkad and Thrissur districts. In Thrissur more than 800 people dressed as tigers from the neighbouring 14 village areas in the district, participate in the event held on the fourth day of Onam.
The origin of Pulikali dates back to over 200 years, when the King Ramavarma is said to have introduced the folk art during Muharram. Mohemeddan soldiers of the British army stationed in Thrissur in the Pattalam (army) area used to celebrate Muharram with great fervor. Along with the celebrations, they used to perform the art form decked as tigers with peculiar steps resembling the tiger, then known as 'Pulikkettikali' which was immensely enjoyed by the locals. Pulikali in Trichur is held in memory of this event.
Over the years, there has been changes in the adornment of Pulikali dancers. In the early days, masks were not used at all and participants would have themselves painted all over, on their faces as well. But now, ready made masks, cosmetic teeth, tongues, beards and mustaches are used by the participants along with the paint on their bodies. The tigers also wear a broad belt with jingles around their waist.
The festival in Thrissur has now become an all peoples event with huge response from people, especially youths who come forward to participate in the festival, and also from sponsors. The event is organised by the Pulikkali Co-ordination Committee, a unified council of Pulikkali groups formed in 2004 to preserve and propagate the art in all its true hues and tones.
A striking feature of this folk art is the colorful appearance of the performers. A particular combination of Tempra Powder and varnish or enamel is used to make the paint. First of all, the dancers remove the hair from the body, and then, the base coat of paints is applied on them. It takes two to three hours for the coating to dry. After that, the second coat of paint is applied with enhanced design. This entire procedure takes at least five to seven hours. A large number of artists gather to apply paint on the tigers. It is a meticulous process and start from the wee hours in the morning.
By afternoon the Pulikkali groups or 'sangams' as they are called, from all four corners of Thrissur move in a procession, dancing, pouncing and shaking their bellies to the beat of the drums through the streets to the Swaraj Ground situated in the heart of the city. Scenes such as the tiger preying on an animal, and a tiger being hunted by a game-hunter are enacted beautifully in between. Thousands of spectators line the streets enjoying the dance, cheering the dancers some of them even trying to join in.
The groups assemble at Naduvilal in the Swaraj ground in front of the Vadakkunnanthan temple and offer a coconut each to the deity of the Ganpathi shrine (Naduvilal Ganapathi Kovil) here, before going on a procession around the ground. The procession also include floats from each village. The different troupes vie with each other to make the best floats as well as the best dressed tigers.
Kummatti kali is a dance where teams of both kids and young men cover their bodies up in leaves or grass ( 'kumatti' grass or 'parppadaka' grass) patches and wear painted masks representing Bali (monkey king), Rama, Hanuman, demons etc, as characters from the epic Ramayana and as goddess Durga (Kali), an old woman 'thamma' etc. Then they dance clapping their hands together going from house to house. The dance will be accompanied by devotional songs and with a bow like instrument, 'onavillu'. The dance is related to Shaiva myth. The main character 'Thamma', an old woman who walks in front with the help of a stick is believed to be the mother of every being and everything.
Combats are of two kinds, those that are undertaken singly and those held in batches. The first is known as Kayyankali and the second as Attakalam.
Kayyankali is a violent game. It posses all the risks of an ancient duel, but no weapons or horses are allowed. The combatants should only use their fists in the attack. The players form two opposing parties. The number in each party is equal and well matched. On both sides stand spectators. When everything is ready, one man goes from the ranks of one party and advances to the middle of the field. He does it with certain measured steps pertaining to the technology of the game. At once his match from the opposite party goes out to meet him with the same measured steps. when the opponents meet they give blows to each other. Blows and counter blows, fists and counter fists constitute the game. The left elbow supplies the shield and the right arm the weapon of attack. If the match is good no single blow will fall on the opponent. But sometimes this happens when amateurs play the game. Some blow hits on some vital part and kills the opponent. The victory is indicated by the falling of the opponent to the ground. Again another couple continue the game and in the end victorious party wins the prize and applause of the spectators.
Attakalam is a boyish game. A large circle is drawn on the plain sand floor and people are selected for each of the two groups. One section is then placed inside the circle and the other stands around outside. The second group try to strike at and bring the former outside. when one outsider gets inside and try to touch the body of any one amongst the inside group the latter are allowed to beat and worry him. The moment he touches the person inside, he obtains complete immunity from violence at the hands of the rest of the inside batch. The person who is caught is at liberty to strike him and struggle to prevent his being driven out. If he gets turned out then he is no more to remain inside and when the whole of the inside section are driven out, the first batch has finished its turn. It is then followed by the other batch. If anybody is left inside who cannot be driven out his party is declared successful. Sometimes presents are given to the winners as tokens of appreciation of their training and strength.
Kayyankali is a violent game. It posses all the risks of an ancient duel, but no weapons or horses are allowed. The combatants should only use their fists in the attack. The players form two opposing parties. The number in each party is equal and well matched. On both sides stand spectators. When everything is ready, one man goes from the ranks of one party and advances to the middle of the field. He does it with certain measured steps pertaining to the technology of the game. At once his match from the opposite party goes out to meet him with the same measured steps. when the opponents meet they give blows to each other. Blows and counter blows, fists and counter fists constitute the game. The left elbow supplies the shield and the right arm the weapon of attack. If the match is good no single blow will fall on the opponent. But sometimes this happens when amateurs play the game. Some blow hits on some vital part and kills the opponent. The victory is indicated by the falling of the opponent to the ground. Again another couple continue the game and in the end victorious party wins the prize and applause of the spectators.
Attakalam is a boyish game. A large circle is drawn on the plain sand floor and people are selected for each of the two groups. One section is then placed inside the circle and the other stands around outside. The second group try to strike at and bring the former outside. when one outsider gets inside and try to touch the body of any one amongst the inside group the latter are allowed to beat and worry him. The moment he touches the person inside, he obtains complete immunity from violence at the hands of the rest of the inside batch. The person who is caught is at liberty to strike him and struggle to prevent his being driven out. If he gets turned out then he is no more to remain inside and when the whole of the inside section are driven out, the first batch has finished its turn. It is then followed by the other batch. If anybody is left inside who cannot be driven out his party is declared successful. Sometimes presents are given to the winners as tokens of appreciation of their training and strength.
When the meals are over, members of the family used to participate in the games. There are both in-door and out door games and recreations. The older and more sedate members of the family have a game of chess, dice or cards. The younger and the more robust join in the noisy merry-making outside. The outdoor recreations consist of football matches, personal combats, archery, boxing, others like Pulikali, Kummattikali, Thumbi Thullal, Kaikotti kali and the Vallam kali etc.
The foot-ball or 'Talappanthukali' is par-excellence the game for Onam. Pantukali is the most important out-door game. The ball is made by wrapping up layers of dried-up plantain leaves with some pebbles inside for giving the required weight and the whole thing is tied up with plantain fiber or coconut fiber to the size of a tennis ball. The players divide themselves into two groups. A stick called natta is planted at one end of the court which is an open space with a line drawn at the other end to demarcate the limit beyond which the ball should not be thrown. One party from the side of the planted stick serves the ball and the adversaries from the other side try to catch it. If they succeed, the man who served the ball is delivered out. If the catch is missed, then he gets another chance. By throwing the ball at the stick and hitting it he wins. The play proceeds in the following order of service. Talappantu (turning towards the stick and serving the ball above the head) otta (holding the ball and then hitting it with the right hand itself) eratta (holding the ball in the left hand, throwing it and hitting with the right palm) murukki (gripping the right hand with the left, through the back of the body, and hitting the ball with the right hand) Kalumkizhu (throwing the ball with the right hand under the right leg by lifting the leg and hitting it with right hand) indan (hitting the ball with foot) and again the first item talappantu. The winning party celebrates the victory by making a circle round the planted stick and dancing in loud chorus.
The foot-ball or 'Talappanthukali' is par-excellence the game for Onam. Pantukali is the most important out-door game. The ball is made by wrapping up layers of dried-up plantain leaves with some pebbles inside for giving the required weight and the whole thing is tied up with plantain fiber or coconut fiber to the size of a tennis ball. The players divide themselves into two groups. A stick called natta is planted at one end of the court which is an open space with a line drawn at the other end to demarcate the limit beyond which the ball should not be thrown. One party from the side of the planted stick serves the ball and the adversaries from the other side try to catch it. If they succeed, the man who served the ball is delivered out. If the catch is missed, then he gets another chance. By throwing the ball at the stick and hitting it he wins. The play proceeds in the following order of service. Talappantu (turning towards the stick and serving the ball above the head) otta (holding the ball and then hitting it with the right hand itself) eratta (holding the ball in the left hand, throwing it and hitting with the right palm) murukki (gripping the right hand with the left, through the back of the body, and hitting the ball with the right hand) Kalumkizhu (throwing the ball with the right hand under the right leg by lifting the leg and hitting it with right hand) indan (hitting the ball with foot) and again the first item talappantu. The winning party celebrates the victory by making a circle round the planted stick and dancing in loud chorus.
Onam is the most famous festival of Kerala. All Malayali's irrespective of religion celebrates it. It falls in the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug-Sept). It is the harvest festival of Kerala. Legend states that Onam is celebrated as the home coming of Mahabali, the king who ruled over Kerala in the age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions (Patala) by Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana
Onam is celebrated as a national festival of Kerala. It synchronizes with the tourist week celebration, which starts formally on the day of Atham asterism. The image of Thrikkakara Appan (Vishnu in the form of Vamana) is installed in every Hindu home during the Onam season. Children go around collecting flowers and decorate them in the front portion of the house in various designs and patterns. The most important days of the Onam festival are Uthradom and Thiruvonam days. On the latter, a grand feast is held in every home. Onam also provides an occasion for family get-together among the Keralites. It's a perfect example for the religious harmony of the state.
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