Kerala Festivals

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Ashtami Rohini



Most people in India celebrate Krishna Janmashtami based on Lunar Calendar but few temples and some regions in South India observe Krishna Janmashtami based on Solar Calendar. In most years these dates don’t differ by one or two days but in some years Janmashtami date based on Lunar Calendar and Janmashtami date based on Solar Calendar might differ up to one month.

In Kerala, Tamil Nadu and in some parts of Karnataka, Krishna Janmashtami is popularly known as Ashtami Rohini and is observed based on Solar Calendar.

Two famous temples, Udupi Sri Krishna temple in Karnataka and Guruvayur Guruvayurappa temple in Kerala celebrate Krishna Janmashtami as Ashtami Rohini based on Solar Calendar.

Ashtami Rohini is also known as Sri Jayanthi and Gokulashtami.

15^thSeptember 2014 (Monday)

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Mandala Pooja



Mandala Pooja at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple is observed on 11^th or 12^th day during Dhanu Masam.

Mandala Pooja is the last day of 41 days long austerity observed by devotees of Lord Ayyappa. The fasting begins 41 days before Mandala Puja i.e. on the first day of Vrishchikam Masam according to Malayalam Calendar.

Mandala Puja and Makar Vilakku are the two most famous events at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple when the temple is kept open for devotees for most of the days.

27^thDecember 2014 (Saturday)

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Vinayaka Chaturthi

In Kerala, Ganesh Chaturthi is more popularly known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and it is celebrated during Shukla Paksha Chaturthi in Chingam Masam. In Malayalam Calendar Chingam is the first month of the year and coincides with Simha Solar month in other calendars.

In other states, Ganesh Chaturthi is observed during Bhadrapada month based on lunar calendar. As Malayalam calendar follows different rule to observe Vinayaka Chaturthi, it might fall one month before Ganesh Chaturthi observed in other states. However it happens rarely. Few years in which Vinayaka Chaturthi is observed one month before Ganesh Chaturthi are 2004, 2012

29^thAugust 2014(Friday)

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Vidyarambham Ceremony



On the next day of Saraswati Puja children between the age of 4 and 5 go through Vidyarambham ceremony.

4^thOctober 2014 (Saturday)