Thrissur, formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and the 21st largest in India. The city is built around a 65-acre (26 ha) hillock called the Thekkinkaadu Maidaanam which seats a large Hindu Shiva Temple. It is located central of the state, and 304 kilometres (189 mi) north-west of the state's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin, and was a point of contact for the Assyrians, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English.
Onam is an annual Indian harvest and cultural festival related to Hinduism celebrated mostly by the people of Kerala. A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events.
The ThrissurPooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram day—the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam Calendar month of Medam. It is the largest and most famous of all poorams in India. Thrissur pooram is also one of the largest festivals in Asia with more than 1 million visitors.
Guruvayur is a municipal temple town in Thrissur district, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located 27 kilometres (17 mi) from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at a distance of 292 km (181 mi) from the state capital Trivandrum towards the north-west, 80 km (50 mi) from Kochi towards the north, 90 km (56 mi) from Calicut towards south.
Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav, is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals. Observances include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts, such as prayers and vrata (fasting). Offerings and prasada from the daily prayers, that are distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka as it is believed to be a favourite of Ganesha. The festival ends on the tenth day after start, when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea, called visarjan on the day of Anant Chaturdashi. In Mumbai alone, around 150,000 statues are immersed annually. Thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to his celestial abode.
Sree Poornathrayesa temple is a Hindu temple situated in Tripunithura, Kochi, the capital of the former Kingdom of Cochin, Kerala, India. The temple is considered among the greatest temples in Kerala and was the first among eight royal temples of the erstwhile Kochi Kingdom. The deity was also considered the national deity of Cochin and protector guardian of Tripunithura. The deity in this temple is Lord Vishnu, who is in the form of Santhanagopala Murthy. Lord Poornathrayeesa is known for his love of elephants. Hence more than 40 elephants participate in his Vrishchikotsavam. And most of the elephants are sent for the utsavam (festival) without a money return expected by the elephant owners as Poornathrayeesa is considered to be an elephant lover.
Chakkulathu Kavu is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Durga. Situated near Thiruvalla in Neerattupuram, Thalavady Panchayat, Alappuzha District, Kerala, India, it is one of the most renowned temples in the state.
Kerala which is often referred to as 'God's Own Country' has many Hindu temples. Many of the temples have unique traditions and most hold festivals on specific days of the year. Temple festivals usually continue for a number of days. A common characteristic of these festivals is the hoisting of a holy flag which is then brought down only on the final day of the festival. The largest festival in kerala in Pooram category is Arattupuzha Pooram at Arattupuzha temple and in Ulsavam category is Vrishchikolsavam of Thripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple. Some festivals include the most famous of these being the Thrissur Pooram. Temples that can afford it will usually involve at least one richly caparisoned elephant as part of the festivities. The idol of the God in the temple is taken out on a procession around the countryside atop this elephant. When the procession visits homes around the temple, people will usually present rice, coconuts and other offerings to the God. Processions often include traditional music such as Panchari melam or Panchavadyam. The festivals of Kerala are famous around the Globe due to its diversity of experience.
Travancore Devaswom Board is statutory and autonomous body managing around 1200 temples in southern part of India. The regular operations of one of the major temples of India, Sabarimala temple, works under its guidance.
The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is a Hindu religious shrine at Attukal in Kerala, India. Goddess Bhadrakali (Kannaki), mounted over 'vethala', is the main deity in this temple. Bhadrakali, a form of Mahakali, who killed the demon king Daruka, believed to be born from the third eye of lord Shiva. 'Bhadra' means good and 'Kali' means goddess of time. So Bhadrakali is considered as the goddess of prosperity and salvation. Goddess 'Attukal devi', itself is the supreme mother 'Bhaadrkali devi', the goddess of power and courage. She is often referred as Kannaki, the heroine of Ilanko Adikal's 'Silapathikaaram'. The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongal festival, in which over three million women participate. A festival that has figured in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the single largest gathering of women for a religious activity, the Attukal Pongala continues to draw millions of women with each passing year. According to the Attukal Temple Trust, around 4.9 million devotees are expected to attend the pongala in 2016. Attukal Temple is situated near the heart of the city, 2 kilometres away from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram. Devotees believe that all of their wishes will be fulfilled by the goddess, provide prosperity and can attain salvation. Attukal devi is often worshipped in 3 forms such as Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Mahakali/ Parvathy.
Thonnallur Pattupurakkavu Bhagavathi temple is a famous Hindu temple at Pandalam, India. It is located one kilometer to the north of Pandalam junction, by the Thiruvananthapuram - Angamaly MC Road. The temple hosted the first ever Devi Bhagavatha Sathram in Kerala, from 28 April – 7 May 2010.
The Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple is a Hindu temple in Alappuzha, Kerala, India. The temple is also known as the Mullakkal Bhagwati Temple. The temple was designed and built in the old Kerala style. The temple grounds is filled with jasmine plants, after which the place may have been named, since 'mullai' in Tamil and 'mulla' in Malayalam mean jasmine. There are several stories related to the origin of the temple and its foundation. The idol in the inner shrine is that of the goddess Durga. The temple is run by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Sree Kurumba Bhagavati Temple is a Hindu temple at Kodungallur, Thrissur District, Kerala state, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Bhadrakali, a form of Mahakali or simply Durga or Aadi Parashakthi worshipped and significantly revered in Kerala. The goddess is known also by the names "Sri Kurumba"". This temple is the head of 64 Bhadrakali temples in Kerala especially Malabar. This Mahakali temple is one of the oldest functioning temples in India. This is attested by numerous Tamil poems and inscriptions of different times. The goddess of the temple represents the goddess in her fierce ('ugra') form, facing North, featuring eight hands with various attributes. One is holding the head of the demon king Daruka, another a sickle-shaped sword, next an anklet, another a bell, among others. Routine worship at the temple every day at 03:00 and ends at 21:00 local time.
Kottiyoor Temple is a prominent Shiva temple in Kottiyoor, Kannur, Kerala, India. Vadakkeshwaram Temple is the common name of the temple from ancient times, but some of the local people address the temple as Ikkare Kottiyoor as it is on the bank of the river close to the Kottiyoor village, to differentiate it from the shrine in the other side of the river. Thruchherumana Kshetram is also another name by which temple is known. The temple is a special category temple under Malabar Devaswom board.
Chengannur Mahadeva Temple is a prominent Hindu temple, dedicated to Shiva and located in the town of Chengannur in the South Indian state of Kerala. The temple is one of the major Shiva temples in Kerala, along with the Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple, Kaduthruthy Mahadeva Temple, Vaikom Temple, Ernakulam Shiva Temple and Vadakkunnathan Temple. There are shrines for Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Subrahmanya, Shasta, Krishna, Nilagriva, Sthalisha, Hanuman, Ganga, and serpent deities inside and outside the temple complex.
Pattupurackal Bhagavathy Temple is an ancient Bhadrakali temple located in Njeezhoor village, Kottayam, Kerala. It is the only temple in Njeezhoor village where the presiding deity is present. Offering naranga vilakku and neivilakku every Tuesday and Friday is very significant to this temple. The nearest towns are Kuravilangad and Kaduthuruthy. It is about 6 km and 11 km away from the temple respectively. The last renovation activities were done on March 19, 2016, with the presence of Kshetra Thantri Brahma Sree Anil Dhivakaran Namboothiri. The temple is managed by NSS Karayaogam Number 336.
Kidangoor Subramanya Swami Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Kidangoor near Ayarkkunnam in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the renowned Subramanya temples in Kerala which is estimated to be at least 1500 years old.
Sree Madiyan Koolom Temple is located near Kanhangad in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the most prominent Hindu temples in Kasargod district, and is some 500 years old. It is dedicated to deity Kshetrapalakan Eswaran, the mother Goddess known as Kalarathri Amma (Bhadrakali).
Oorali Appooppan Kavu is an ancient temple located on the banks of Achankovil river at Kalleli near Konni in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, India. The temple is situated on the Kalleli - Achankovil forest route, 19 km (12 mi) from the district headquarters Pathanamthitta and 9 km (5.6 mi) from Konni. It comes under Aruvappulam grama panchayat in Konni taluk. Oorali Appooppan, who is considered to be the lord of mountain gods, is the presiding deity of the temple.
