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Kerala Festival
Onam Festival
Onam, the harvest festival is the most popular festival of Kerala. A
festival that celebrates a happy blend of myth and reality, Onam is
part of the cultural repertoire of every Malayalee.
It brings back nostalgic memories, carried on the wings of folklore,
of a bygone Utopian era of prosperity, equality and righteousness,
under the golden reign of Mahabali. Year after year, for centuries,
the people of Kerala, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, join
together to welcome back their vanquished king. The ten-day Onam
festival falls in August-September, coinciding with the beginning of
the harvest season.
Pooram Festival
Every temple in Kerala celebrates festive occasions with religious
devotion and joy. One of the most important temples in Kerala is the
Vadakkananthan Temple at Thrissur. The Thrissur Pooram or Temple
Festival of the Vadakkananthan Temple, is the grandest Temple
Festival in Kerala. Travel to Kerala to see the magnificent Thrissur
Pooram, on Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater, and see Kerala at its
celebratory best. See the rows of impressive elephants bearing idols
of the gods on their backs, decorated with golden forehead ornaments
and colorful parasols in Thrissur Kerala.
Held every year in the month of Medom according to the Malayam
calendar, which corresponds to April-May, the Thrissur Temple
Festival features rituals and prayers as well as a spectaulcr
procession of grandly decorated elephants. Neighboring temples at
Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu compete with each other to display the
most impressive tuskers, the best decorated elephants and the most
impressive fireworks. Fifteen elephants from each temple line up in
an impressive standoff, while accompanying drummers and musicians
play their instruments in a religious frenzy.
Celebrations at the Thrissur Temple Festival Kerala :
Started by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of the earlier state of
Kochi state, the Thrissur Pooram or Temple Festival at Thrissur has
become an annual event on the tourist calendar of Kerala. The two
competing temples display new decorations and parasols on the
elephants each year and put up more spectacular fireworks in order
to create a memorable temple festival. The temple festival begins
early in the morning with the procession of the elephants and lasts
through the day and into the night. The percussion drumming called
Panchavadyam is another highlight of the temple festival, which
concludes on the following morning. This spectacle is the end of an
eight-day festival of nine temples in Thrissur.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the annual water carnival at Punnamada Lake
in Alappuzha is considered as the biggest snake boat race in the
world. The colourful boat pageantry, which precedes the boat race,
is a marvelous treat to the onlookers. The snake boats with 100 to
120 oarsmen plough the waters to the tune of the legendary songs.
Jawaharlal Nehru who was enthralled by the charm and gaiety of the
water carnival instituted the Nehru Trophy. This boat race attracts
a large number of tourists.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most famous of the boat races of
Kerala. This annual regatta is held on the Punnamada Backwaters of
Alappuzha district on the second Saturday of August.
The event is a commemoration of the visit to this place by the late
Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952.
The spectacular race features magnificent snake boats or 'Chundans'.
The boisterous and rhythmic boat songs or Vanchipattu work the
spectators to a state of frenzy.
Tamil Nadu Festival
Pongal
India is bestowed with the bliss of festivity. A major segment of
the population here depends on agriculture. As a result, most of the
festivals are also related to the agricultural activities of the
people. These festivals are celebrated with different names and
rituals in almost all the parts of India. Pongal is one of such
highly revered festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu to mark the
harvesting of crops by farmers. Held in the middle of January, it is
the time when the people get ready to thank God, Earth and their
Cattle for the wonderful harvest and celebrate the occasion with
joyous festivities and rituals.
The four-day Harvest festival is celebrated all over the state in
January. The festival begins on the last day of the Tamil month with
Bhogi Pongal followed by Surya.
Mahabalipuram Dance Festival
The internationally acclaimed and globally renowned "Mahabalipuram
Dance Festival" is organized by the Department of Tourism, every
year in Mahabalipuram - the renowned and ancient 7th century centre
for Pallava culture and arts.
The Dance festival starts on the 25th of December every year and is
conducted on all Saturdays and Government holidays, upto February
first week. Dancers and musicians of repute from India and abroad
thrill the crowds every year. Folk dances of India are an added
attraction.
Sit before an open-air 'stage' created 13 centuries ago, the
incredible monolithic rock sculptures of the Pallavas, next to the
sea in this ancient city of Mahabalipuram. Lovers of dance will be
treated to a very unique and unforgettably aesthetic event:
Bharadanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, presented by the
very best exponents of the art besides folk dances.
Jallikattu (Bull Fight)
On the 4th day, Kanya Pongal, coloured balls of the Pongal are made
and are offered to birds. A kind of bull-fight, called the 'Jallikattu'
is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjore in Tamil Nadu and
several places in Andhra Pradesh. Bundles containing money are tied
to the horns of ferocious bulls, and unarmed villagers try to wrest
the bundles from them. Bullock cart races and cock-fights are also
held. In Andhra Pradesh, every household displays its collection of
dolls for three days. Community meals are held at night with freshly
harvested ingredients.
Ballads, folk dances, dramas and songs have rich cultural heritages,
'Jallikattu' or bull fight' played in Madurai, Trichy areas are more
ferocious than the bull fight which is the beloved sport of Latin
speakers in Europe and South America.
Myths and legends, festivals and ceremonials have helped to fashion
an exquisitely charming type of handicrafts. The products of
Tamilnadu workmen cater to as much beauty as to utility, which
include metal-ware, wood carving, pottery, leather goods, carpets,
pith work, palam left products, etc. handloom textiles both cotton
and silk have won global appreciation.
Natyanjali Dance Festival
Starts from the day of Mahashivaratri, for 5 days. Chidambaram is
situated along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 75 kms south of
Pondicherry. Lord Nataraja, according to the Hindu mythology is a
cosmic dancer. He is called the Lord of dances. This is an
opportunity for all dancers, from all India, to perform and to pay
their tribute to Lord Nataraja. The Natyanjali festival, which
brings all the prominent dancers of India, together on the same
platform, opens on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri, in the
month of February. It is performed at the 'Prakara' of the temple,
and the dancers, full of intense bliss and devotion, with their
evocative abhinaya, offers their dance to the great divinity, Lord
Nataraja. Festivals have great value in Chidambaram. The
Natyanjali festival dedicated to the Cosmic Dancer (Lord Shiva) is
celebrated every year during February-March. Lord Nataraja,
according to Hindu mythology is the cosmic dancer. He is also called
"the Lord of Dances".
Natyanjali festival is designed to promote a universal message of
'Unity in Diversity' conveyed in the universal language of music and
dance.
Karnataka
Hoysala Mahotsava
Hoysala Mahotsava is a dance festival held at the magnificent
temples of Belur and Halebid in Karnataka in the month of March. The
majestic Hoysala temples with their marvelous sculptures make a
perfect venue for this cultural festival. The splendid event
recreates the grandeur of the bygone era.
Hampi / Vijaynagar Festival
The festival is organized annually in November-December in the
magnificent ruined city of Hampi, which was once the capital of the
Vijaynagar empire. Hosted by the State Government, the city comes to
life during the lively festival, which includes dance, drama, music,
fireworks, puppet shows, and marvelous processions.
Dussehra
A ten-day festivity, the festival of Dussehra is symbolic of the
victory of good over evil. The festival is celebrated with pomp and
gaiety in Mysore and the city is transformed into a paradise with
illuminated streets and arches. The highlights of the celebration
are cultural programmes, exhibitions, music festivals, torchlight
processions that culminates with a grand procession on the tenth day
headed by a caparisoned elephant.
Kambala (Buffalo Race)
The historically famous Kambala race is held annually between
November to March in Baradi Beedu, Bolantur, Kolatta Majalu,
Bajagoli, Puttur, Kamalakatte and Uppinangadi.A rural sport in
southern coastal Karnataka originally began as a royal pastime and
was later continued by the feudal lords of the Tulu region. |
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