My Travel

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Tripunithura hill palace Museum (10 km from Kochi city, Kerala) : It is one of the unique archaeological museums in India which is having a gold-silver jewelry gallery. The main attraction is the gold crown presented to the Maharaja by Vasco da Gamma in 1502 AD. The gold crown weighs 1726 g (22 ct) decorated with 24 Ruby, 95 diamonds and 76 Emerald stones. There are ocimon bead (basil) necklace in silver and gold. Hacocarpus beads from Nepal is also there in the royal jewelry collection.

The crown is kept inside a strong room. Police at the entrance will not permit to take mobile phones and cameras with you. One can keep these things at the counter. Entry fee Rs 20. No inside photography in galleries.

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Chettikulangara temple

Chettikulangara is famous for the Kumbha Bharani festival celebrated in the month of Feb-Mar. The main attraction is the Kuthiyottam vazhipadu procession in the morning and the Kettukazcha in the evening. The temple is located 8 km from Kayamkulam near Mavelikkara in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is 50 km from Alappuzha and one hour by bus. The festival was on 2 March 2009. The specialty of the temple are the 1001 vilakku (light stand) and the hundreds of year old Chembakam tree.

Kuthiyottam

Kuthiyottam is a symbolic representation of human ‘bali’( homicide). Kuthiyottam is a unique vazhipadu (offering) in which devotees spend Rs 2 to 15 lakh (10 lakh = 1 million). The host will feed all visitors who come to home to witness Kuthiyottam. On the eve of the Bharani day a big lunch for the 'kara' will be arranged at home.

Adi Dravida folk dances and songs are essential part of the offering. Kuthiyotta Kalaris’, run by Kuthiyotta Asans (Teachers), train the group to perform the dances and songs. Training starts about one to two months before the season and the man who makes the offering teaches young boys certain religious rites.

On Bharani morning, after the feast and rituals, the boy's body is coiled with silver wires, one end of which is tied around his neck, and an areca nut fixed on the tip of a knife held high over his head. He is taken in procession to the temple with the accompaniment of beating of drums, music, ornamental umbrellas, bhadra theyyam, peacock kavadis, horse dancers, naga dancers etc. Tender coconut water is poured on his body, till they reach the temple. At the end of it, the boy stands at a position facing the Sreekovil (Sanctum Sanctorum) and begins to dance. The ceremony comes to an end with the presentation of prizes to the Gurus (teachers). This dance if performed in pairs is called Iratta Kuthiyottam.

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Chettikulangara Kettukazcha (5 pm onwards)

Kettukazhcha construction start from Shivarathri. Residents of the locality (karas) bring floats with huge decorated effigies of chariots, horses, Bhima and Hanuman to the temple premises pulled by hundreds of devotees. All the 14 Kettukazchas (six temple cars known as ‘Kuthiras', five Chariots called 'Therus' and icons of Bhima, Panjali and Hanuman) from the 13 karas will be paraded at the paddy field near the temple around 12 midnight. After Bhagavathi’s Ezhunnellippu to bless the Kettukazhchas and people, Kettukazhchas will be taken back next day morning to the respective Kavus. The dismantled parts of Kettukazhchas are kept at the ‘Kuthirappura’ of each Karas.

Kuthiras have a height of about 70 to 75 ft, and are a union of four parts– Adikkoottu, Kathirakal, Edakkodaram, Prabhada and Melkkoodaram, one above the other respectively. Therus is smaller in comparison to the Kuthiras of Erezha South, Erezha North, Kaitha South, Kaitha North and Pela 'karas'.

The wooden icons of Bhima made by Mattom North and Hanuman brought by Mattom south are probably the largest of its kind in the world. Bhima’s icon is postured as the Pandava enroute to kill Baka on 'Pothu Vandi' (vehicle drawn by buffalos) with food for the Rakshasa King. Mattom south kara also brings the icon of Panjali along with Hanuman.

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Palluruthy Sree Bhavaneeshwara Temple, Kochi established by the great saint, sage and social reformer of India,
Sree Narayana Guru on 8th March 1916. On 12 March 2009, fifteen caparisoned elephants were ready at the temple premises at 4.30 pm. The elephants were paraded through the ground nearby. Thousands of devotees and elephant enthusiasts took part in the event. Palluruthy is also famous for temples, lotus ponds, banyan trees and maidans. The temple is located at Palluruthy veli near Thoppumpady on the Aroor/Alappuzha road in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India.



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Aarattupuzha pooram is a pooram of different temples. The nearby temples pooram with elephant procession comes to Aaratupuzha temple. Around 23 gods and goddesses are taken to the temple premises from neighboring temples. On the pooram day (6th April 2009) around 0630 pm the pooram starts with a colourful display of 15 caparisoned elephants. Around 11 pm Triprayar Thevar will be leading the Pooram accompanied by 11 elephants with Panchavadyam. Pancharimelam of 250 artists with
21 elephants will be followed. A good fireworks display will concludes the day.

At around 5 am on 7 April, kootti-ezhunnullippu begins with the grand display of 71 caparisoned elephants. The elephants are paraded at the nearby paddy field - Ezham kandam. At around 0630 am the Aarat at Mandarakkadav (banks of river Bharatapuzha) begins with the holy bath of Pisharadickal bhagavathy and the other gods and goddesses will perform aarat. During the aarat, the presence of Ganga is believed and mass of devotees will take bath to free them from the sins. The festival comes to an end with a farewell function called upacharam. For the 2010 pooram date visit www.aarattupuzhatemple.com

The temple is located 16 km from Thrissur on the Kodungalloor route and buses can be boarded from Shaktan stand. The bus route goes via the famous Koorkanchery and Peruvanum temples. One has to reach the temple by auto as the main road is 2 km away. The whole route is decorated with lights. A couple of buses operates from the temple to Shaktan stand, Thrissur.

Gods and goddesses of the pooram : Aarattupuzha Shasthav (Lord Shiva), Triprayar Thevar (Lord Vishnu), Oorakathamma thiruvadi (Mahalakshmi), Cherppu bhagavathy, Chathakudam shasthav, Anthikavu bhgavathy, Thottipal bhgavathy, Pishatrickal bhgavathy, Edakunni bhgavathy, Ayyunnil bhagavathy, Thaikattussery bhagavathy, Kaduppassery bhagavathy, Choorakkode bhagavathy, Poonilarkavil bhagavathy, Kattu pisharickal bhagavathy, Chakkamkulangara Shasthav, Kodannur Shashtav, Namkulam
Shasthav, Sreemattil Shasthav, Nettishery Shasthav, Kallely Shasthav, Chittichatthakudam Shasthav, Medakulam Shasthav.

The 1427th pooram in 2009 was insured with Oriental insurance company at Rs 4 crore 60 lakh by Cochin Devasom board. The Shashtav's thidambu was beared by gajaraja Thiruvambadi Shivsunder. Aarattupuzha Shasthav (Lord Shiva) is the teacher of Lord Rama. Gold covered glittering caparison have bubbles of different size and crescents on it. Chamayam items are colourful parasols (kuda, mainly red), Chamaram (will be having silvered handle), alavattom (peacock feather fans) and bells for the elephant's legs and neck. The cloth torches (thiri vetti) used for the elephant procession will be lighted using specially prepared coconut oil to minimise smoke.

The 4 hour long, 250 artists pancharimelam is lead by the maestro Peruvanam Kuttan marar, assisted by Kelath Aravindhshan, Peruvanam Satheesan, Peruvanam Prakashan, Shivan and Shankara Narayanan. The instruments used are kurum kuzhal, elethalam, veekam chenda, maddalam, thimila, kombu, edakka etc.



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