Fairs & Festivals of India 2011

Pulikali

The colorful display of the folk art at the time of Onam in Kerala in the form of dance and performances are termed as Pulikali. The art also known as Kaduvaakali is a 200 year old form which has been very carefully preserved by the artists of the state. The form is performed by the trained artists who stage it just to entertain the locals and the visitors. The word Pulikali literally means the 'play of the tigers' so the performance revolves around the theme of tiger hunting.

This folk art is mainly staged and practiced in the district of Thissur and Palakkad. The best place to catch the glimpse of the performance is the Swaraj Ground at Thrissur on the fourth day of Onam. The make-up for the show is a painstaking affair with the artists getting themselves ready from the late hours of the night.

Fire walk, Aadikumpara temple in Kannur district, Kerala. During Muharam celebrations, one can watch fire walk at Hopset near Guntakkal in Karnataka.

Fire walk is a ritual performed during festivals and other auspicious occasions in temples. Devotees after taking a bath would run over a specially prepared fire pit in the temple premises. While in some places the fire place would be in the ground level at several other places it would be a heap of amber.

Guinness World Records : Gary Shawkey (USA) walked 50.29 m over embers of cedar wood, with an average temperature of 982.22 ºC at the Central Florida Fair in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 4 March 2000.

Church Festivals

KADAMATTOM FEAST

Mainly two feasts are celebrated in this church, one on the 24th and 25th of Makaram (January-February) and the other on 23rd of Medam (April-May). The former is the most important.

KALLOOPPARA PERUNAL

St.Mary's Church at Kallooppara stands in close proximity to the Kallooppara Bhagavathy temple. Inside the church, on its eastern and western wings, there are two granite slabs with some inscriptions in the Pali language. The Palli perunal and the foundation day of the Church are the two celebrations held on January 15 and July 5 respectively.

KORATTY FEAST

About 7 km south of Chalakudy, there is an ancient and beautiful village called Koratty. There is an old catholic church there built in honour of St. Mary which is locally known as "Koratty Muthy's Church". The most important festival in this church is the 'Koratty Muthy's festival celebrated during the second week of October every year.

MALAYATTUR FEAST

St. Thomas shrine at Malayattur a village about six miles to the north of Kaladi Ernakulam District is believed to be one of the ancient catholic shrines in the northern part of the state. The chief festival at the shrine is second Sunday, since the first moon, after the Vernal Equinox (March 21). The Feast, therefore, falls generally in the month of April or at times in the last week of March. The Octave is celebrated on the following Sunday. The pilgrims have to climb a hill nearly 2000 feet high and on top of it is the church.

MANJINIKKARA CHURCH FESTIVAL

The church and Dayara at Manjinikkara derives its importance from the holy tomb there. The sacred body of the late lgnatius Elise III, the holy patriarch of Antioch and all the East was interned there. Members of the Jacobite Syrian Church believe that the Holy Father was a Saint. The Church has now become one of the foremost places of pilgrimage.

Good and helpful compilation of Kerla Festivals.

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On February first week at Parthasarathy temple, Adoor, (near KSRTC bus stand, Adoor), Pathanamthitta district the event Adoor Gajamela takes place.

Gajamela or the elephant pageant on the concluding day is the highlight of the 10-day annual festival at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Sree Krishna, known here in the name of Parthasarathy (Partha's charioteer; Partha (Arjuna) was one of the five Pandava princes, the heroes of the epic, Mahabharatha). Majestically caparisoned elephants take part in this spectacular procession.

Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Chengannur, about 25 km away.
Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 92 km away

Theyyam, the colourful ritual dance of Kerala is one of the oldest art forms of India. It incorporates dance, mime and music and enshrines the rudiments of ancient tribal cultures, which attached great importance to the worship of heroes and ancestral spirits.

Venue: Perumthitta Tharavad, Kottamkuzhy, Kasaragod District.

Event Date: From Dec 6 to Dec 15, 2010

Perumthitta Theyyam festival at which most of the Theyyam forms are on display is truly a grand affair. The pomp and splendour of the Theyyams are bewitching and help keep alive this age-old tradition.

Getting there:
By road: Bekal-Palakunnu-Mudiyakkal-Chandrapuram-Perumthatta.
Nearest railway station: Kasaragod, about 26 km away.
Nearest airport: Mangalore, in the neighbouring state of Karnataka, about 50 km away from Kasaragod.

The annual festival at the Sree Ruthira Mahakaalikavu Temple, dedicated to Goddess Kali, is the most famous event in the region and is called the Uthralikavu Pooram. The eight-day celebration is highlighted by day-and-night elephant processions. The concluding day of the festival is celebrated as pooram day, when about 21 elephants in traditional caparisons line up with colourful parasols, swaying venchamarams (white tufts like those used for cheerleading) and Aalavattams (peacock-feather fans). Traditional musical ensembles like the Panchavadyam and the Pandimelam add rhythm to this magical spectacle. The cultural fare during the festival includes temple and folk art performances.

Venue: Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple near Vadakkancherry, Thrissur district.

Event Date : 2-03-2010

The annual festival at the Sree Ruthira Mahakaalikavu Temple, near Wadakkancherry, Thrissur district, is dedicated to Goddess Kali, is the most famous event in the region and is called the Uthralikavu Pooram.

On the pooram day, 21 elephants in traditional caparisons line up with colourful parasols, swaying venchamarams (white tufts like those used for cheerleading) and Aalavattams (peacock-feather fans). Traditional musical ensembles like the Panchavadyam and the Pandimelam add rhythm to this magical spectacle. The cultural fare during the festival includes temple and folk art performances.

How to Reach

Nearest railway station: Wadakkancherry, about 4 km away.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km from Thrissur.

Festivals

At the end of January comes Adivasi Mela, a fair that displays the art, artifacts, tradition, culture, and music of the tribal folks of Orissa.

The main festivals in Bhubaneshwar are the Durga Puja, Janmashtami and Kali Puja.On the day of Ashokashtami in the month of March, the image of Lingaraja (Lord Shiva) and other deities are taken in a procession from Lingaraja Temple to the Rameshwara Temple. Hundreds of devotees participate in pulling the chariot that carries the deities, which remain in Rameshwara Temple for four days.

Travel to Goa in February

Carnival in Goa usually starts off on Sabado Gordo (Fat Saturday) and concludes on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) - the eve of Ash Wednesday (February 17, 2010), which is the first day of the season of Lent.

Carnival is a time for gallivanting. Singing, dancing and masked people mark the uproarious and flamboyant Goan celebration.