Nariyal Purnima is a special and distinct festival for the worship of Lord Varuna – the God of seas- celebrated by the people living on the coasts. It falls on the full moon day of the month of Sravan in the Hindu calendar (Aug/Sep)-on the same day as Raksha Bandhan. People throw innumerable coconuts into the sea to satisfy the sea god. Special offerings are made and religious ceremonies are held. Coconuts and pieces of it are distributed as “prasad’ (a material substance first offered to the God) and a delightfully delicious dish called coconut rice is prepared. Come to this amazing festival with Indian Festival tours.

This seven-day annual festival celebrated in February at the Pariyanampetta temple dedicated to Bhagavathy or the Goddess best exemplifies the valluvanadan tradition (valluvanadu is a region in Kerala with a distinct culture ). Pooram, the concluding day of the festival, is marked by a ceremonial procession of about 21 elephants accompanied by Religious and folk arts like Kaalavela (bull motif spectacle), Kuthiravela (horse motif spectacle), and Poothanum thirayum . Kalamezhuthu Pattu (the ritual drawing of the goddess's image on the floor, accompanied by a song) is performed on all the festival days. The cultural fare during the festival includes Kathakali, Chakyarkoothu and The ancient folk art of shadow puppetry called Tholpavakoothu. Indian Festival Tours would be delighted to take you to this grand fest and let you savor the essence of a great tradition.

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. This festival which falls in either February or March also boasts of fireworks unrivalled by any other. Let Indian Festival Tours treat you to this astounding feast this season.

The Attuvela Mahotsavam is a majestic water carnival. According to legend, it is the welcome ceremony for the Goddess of Kodungalloor who comes to visit her sister, the Goddess of Elankavu. The Goddess of Elankavu is the presiding deity of the temple at Elankavu, where the festival is celebrated. During the two-day Attuvela, beautifully illuminated canoes, carrying a huge replica of the temple, sail down the waters accompanied by hordes of colourfully decorated small canoes and temple percussion music. The procession of canoes starts from Attuvela Kadavu, 2 km away from the temple. Indian Festival Tours has holiday packages that enable you to experience this divine festivity.

Machattu Mamangm or machattuvela is celebrated at the Machatu Thiruvanikkavu temple dedicated to Godess Bhagavathy. The festival consists of five day's celebration of great pomp, pageantry and splendour. On the concluding day, richly decorated horse motifs brought by devotees as offerings and majestically caparisoned elephants accompanied by traditional percussion music converge in the temple courtyard presenting a supremely grand sight to the beholder. Come to Indian Festival Tours to experience this visual extravaganza.

This festival is held at the Poruvazhy Malanada temple, the only temple in the world dedicated to Duryodhana (the antagonist of the Mahabharatha, the great Indian epic). The festival involves rare folk art performances, grand bull motif processions and another grandiose procession called Kettukazhcha. Thousands of people gather to watch this grand procession every year . Indian Festival Tours welcome you to travel with us and be a part of this unforgettable revelry.

Nenmara Vallangi Vela is a spellbinding festival spanning days. The festival is believed to be a joint invocation of the Godess Bhagavathy by the people of Nenmara and Vallangi villages. Arguably the grandest festival in Kerala, the kodiyettam (flag hoisting) marking the beginning of celebrations itself is a grandiose affair. The days following the Kodiyettam witness skilled performers performing folk arts like Kummatti, Karivela and Andivela. On the final day 30 regally caparisoned tuskers are arrayed in ceremonial splendor under a heavily decorated canopy. The sight is sure to belittle any other sight you might have seen. Come and travel with Indian Festival Tours to this fest; celebrate in the true sense of the term

The Thaipooya Mahotsavam is a stupendous celebration marking the birthday of Lord Subrahmanya (the commander of the army of gods according to Indian mythology) and the Eldest son of Lord Shiva. The Thaipooya Mahotsavam at the Sree Subrahmanya temple at Harippad is as grand as a celebration can get. Thousands of devotees carry richly decorated wooden archs (kavadis) to the temple in a grand procession and perform an adrenaline-pumping ritual dance called kavadiyattam. Eveything goes to oblivion as one starts matching steps with the dancers. Come and have fun at this years Thaipooya Mahotsavam with Indian Festival Tours .

The Thaipooya Mahotsavam is a stupendous celebration marking the birthday of Lord Subrahmanya (the commander of the army of gods according to Indian mythology). The Thaipooya Mahotsavam is celebrated on a grand scale at the Maheswara Temple at Koorkkanchery. In the morning, 300 male devotees carry richly decorated models of the temple; about 10 feet long and perform a ritual dance called Kavadiyattam along with 600 men carrying decorated wooden arches. The celebrations last for seven days and dazzling fire works on the concluding day provide a fitting climax to the festivity. Experience this spectacle firsthand with Indian Festival Tours .

Thirunakkara arattu is a much famed festival celebrated at Thirunakkara Mahaeva Temple in Kottayam district of Kerala. Ten days of intense celebration comes to a close with arattu, the bathing ceremony of lord Mahadeva, the presiding deity of the temple. The idol of the deity is accompanied by nine majestically caparisoned elephants to the nearby river for the bathing ceremony. Staging of Kathakali (a renowned form of drama) is an important part of the celebrations among others like peacock dance and motif processions. Get in the divine groove and be part of this festival with Indian Festival Tours .

Vaikkathashtami is a sacred festival celebrated at the famous mahadeva temple at Vaikkom in Kottayam district of Kerala. The much famed festival is celebrated during the dark lunar fortnight of the Malayalam month Vrischikam and involves a fortnight of classical music, dance performances and night-long kathakali performances on the ninth and tenth days. On the concluding night of the festival, a symbolic idol of lord Siva (Known here as Vaikkom Mahadeva ) is taken out in a grand procession of caparisoned elephants and local percussion music, with deities from the nearby temples joining the procession to amplify its magnitude and grandeur. People of the locality fervently engage themselves in the celebrations. Come and take part in this festival of divinity and grandeur with Indian Festival Tours .

Onam is the the most popular and grandest festival of Kerala, celebrated in fine weather and with great spirit. Mythology has it that onam is celebrated to welcome Mahabali or Maveli, the erstwhile king of Kerala who comes on a visit to his subjects every year from the underworld. Accoding to local myths, Mahabali was a powerful and popular ruler under whom the kingdom prospered like never before that even the gods grew jealous of him and Lord Vamana buried him to the underworld called Patala . A blend of myth and reality, Onam is part of the collective cultural consciousness of Keralites. It brings back nostalgic memories, on the wings of folkfore, of a bygone era of prosperity, equality and righteousness, under the golden reign of the King Mahabali. Year after year for centuries, the people of Kerala, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, have joined together to celebrate the yearly visit of their banished king. Onam in essence is a harvest festival and an occasion for merrymaking and sports that spans ten days, between the atham asterism and Onam asterism of the Chingam month in the Malayalam calendar. During the ten days of intense celebrations, children prepare floral designs called pookkalam in the courtyards to welcome Onathapan( as king Mahabali is affectionately called ). Mouth-watering traditional dishes are prepared everyday and a special traditional feast is prepared on the Thiruvanam day- the tenth and most important of them all. People gather at their ancestral homes and savor the grand feast on plantain leaves. Women engage in traditional dances of feminine grace and charm like Kaikottikkali and Thiruvathirakali after the grand feast. Children engage in various games including oonjalattam (Soaring high on the swing) and Thumbithullal. Snake-boat races and backwater carnivals are also organized as part of Onam celebrations. The government has since long been observing Onam as a national festival and state-sponsored onam celebrations are held on a grand scale.

Come visit Kerala during the next Onam and plunge into the mood of festivity and celebrations with Indian Festival Tours .

Pulikali is a very popular and amusing folk art performed by well-trained artistes. In Pulikali a group of performers paint their whole body in the likeness of tigers and wear tiger masks. They prance about, dance and move like tigers. A hunter and a drummer accompany the tigers and create an atmosphere of mock hunting. A grand pulikkali is conducted on the fourth day of Onam at the Swaraj round in Thrissur. Troupes of performers from different parts of the state participate in the pulikkali with alacrity. Indian Festival Tours welcomes you to be a part of a wild-life hunt which though far from real is greater fun than a real game.

Thrippunithura Athachamayam is a majestic festival celebrated at the Thrippunithura fort in Cochin . It's celebrated on the Atham asterism of The Malayalam Month Chingam and marks the beginning of the ten day Onam festival. This festival has a history dating back centuries; it originally was a celebration associated with the customary annual visit of the Cochin king to the Thrippunithura fort to meet and greet his subjects. The grandeur of the regal procession is on the ascendancy and showcases almost all the folk arts of Kerala. Elephants adorned in caparisons and silken-parasols add color to the festival. Indian Festival Tours welcomes you to be a part of this regal festival.

Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport , about 30 km from Thripunithura.