ETTUMANOOR FESTIVAL

Ettumanoor is located 12 Kms north-east of Kottayam town. The ancient Siva temple here has brought glory and fame to the place. Myths have it that the Pandavas and the sage Vyasa had worshipped at this temple. The name of the place had its origin from the word 'manoor', which means the home of deer.

The present temple building, with its gopuram and the fortress around it, was reconstructed in 717 ME (1542 AD). The mural paintings on the walls inside and outside the gopuram are quite famous. The images of Balagopalam and other Devas are painted with high artistic ingenuity. The golden flag staff inside the temple is a beautiful sight. On the top of it is the image of a bull surrounded by a small bells and metal leaves of the banyan tree. The temple roofs are covered with copper sheets and it has 14 ornamental tops. Bhagavati, Sastha, Ganapathy and Yakshi are installed here as subordinate deities. It is believed that the great philosopher, Sankaracharya wrote the 'Soundaraya Lahari' staying in the temple.

The arattu festival of this temple is celebrated on a grand scale on the Thiruvathira day in Kumbham (February-March) every year. Large number of people flock to this temple on the 8th and 10th day of the festival when seven and a half elephants made of gold (nearly 13 Kgms) will be held in public view. The temple, the wealthiest Devaswom in Kerala, has many valuable possessions.

The Thulabharam is one of the important rituals of this temple. People make offerings to God for favours received. In a balance, the child or man for whom offerings were promised to God, is weighed against offerings ranging from gold to fruits. Ettumanoor is an important pilgrim Centre of Hindus, it is on the highway between Kottayam and Kochi.


GURYVAYOOR FESTIVALS

One of the famous temples of India, Guruvayoor is situated in an out-of-the way village in Chavakkad taluk, though it draws a vast concourse of pilgrims from every part of the country. Devotees are thronging to this temple not to see and appreciate the variety of its structural patterns or to revel in the festivals celebrated there, but only to feel the air of benediction that pervades this famous shrine of Guruvayoorappan and to invoke his blessings. Though the structure of the temple is comparatively small, its fame is fabulously widespread. The main idol of this temple is that of Lord Vishnu. The idol, made of a rare stone 'Patala Anjanam' which is supposed to have great healing qualities, especially for rheumatism, with a chank (conch), Chakra (wheel) gada (mace), Pankajam (Lotus) in its four arms and radiant smile on its lips, looks bewitchingly beautiful. Entering the portals of the temple, one is ever whelmed by the pervading atmosphere of piety and devotion.

Just behind the entrance to the temple is the Anakkottil (camp of elephants) and behind it, the golden flag staff. Adjacent to this is the 'Koothambalam'. Taking a round of the temple proper, one reaches the front of the Krishnattasala, a small structure wide open on all sides. It was here that Krishnatoom used to be staged. The mandapam just in front of the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) is resplendent with beautiful carvings. The paintings around the sreekovil depicting stories of the childish pranks of Sree Krishna stand out as works of everlasting beauty of the ancient art.

The important religious festivals celebrated in this temple are:
1. Ashtami Rohini in Chingom (August-September)
2. Sukla Paksha Ekadasi in Vrischikom (Novermber-December)
3. Kuchela day in Dhanu (December-January) the day on which Kuchela visited Sree Krishna with beaten rice.

JAIN FESTIVAL At Palakad

There is an ancient Jain Temple at Jainamedu near the Palakad town. According to a legend, one Sutar, head of the Jains, built this temple 500 years ago for the Jain stage chandranathaswamy. The granite structure of the temple rests on eight granite pillars. There are four cells. A marble statue of the stage is in the first cell. A big gong is hung in the fourth cell for the devotees to ring. The Jains who came here from Mysore, fled from this place during the invasion of Tipu Sultan.

JEWISH FESTIVAL

It is an undisputed fact of history that form the 5th to the 16th century, the Jews in Kerala had an independent principality ruled over by a prince of their own race. Tradition has it that ten thousand Jews came to Kerala soon after the destruction of their second temple in 72 A.D.

Among the Jewish festivals, the Sabbath (Saturday) occupies the pride of place. The Sabbath gives the labourer every week a day of rest and leisure. Passover or the feast of unleavened bread is one commemorating the birth of Israel as a nation and deliverance of the Jews from the Egyptian slavery. It falls in April or May. Pentecost is another Jewish festival held in May-June. It has an agricultural and historical significance. The feast of Tabrernacle is another pilgrim festival falling in either September or October. During this feast, Jews set temporary booths covered with palm leaves and decorated with citrus and other fruits. The Jewish New Year falls in September or October. It is not a time for revelry, but a solemn season for self assessment and judgment in the life of the Jew. The Day of Atonement following the New Year is the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. Not a morsel food or a drop of water will pass the lips of the observant Jews from sunset of the previous day till after the nightfall of the next day. The Jews will be in the synagogue devoting themselves to fervent prayers. The Hannukka or the festival of lights is another popular celebration of the Jews.

VELIANCODE JARAM NERCHA FESTIVAL

In the village of Veliancode there is a Jaram (tomb) where the body of a great Tangal (priest) who had exceptionally divine qualities, lies buried. The 'Nercha Festival' is celebrated in memory of this death. A free feast is conducted for the poor in the premises of the tomb every year.