Venue: Koorkancherry Sree Maheswara Temple, Thrissur district.
An irresistible blend of colours, music and dance, that's what the Thaipooyam festival is all about. That's the reason why the premise of Koorkancherry Sree Maheswara Temple witnesses a huge gathering of devotees during the month of January / February. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of Koorkancherry Sree Maheswara Temple. The Thaipooyam festival here is celebrated in the name of Lord Subramanya; the eldest son of Lord Shiva.
One of the main attractions of Thaipooyam is the kavadiyattom. This vigorous ritual dance starts in the morning by forming groups that are known as ambalakkavadi and pookkavadi, depending on the shape of the kavadi ('kavadi' a richly decorated wooden arch) carried on shoulders. In ambalakkavadi (ambalam means temple) the structure takes the form of a temple, which would be about six to ten feet high, carried on the shoulders of a male devotee. The pookkavadi is a conical-shaped structure decorated with flowers, also carried on the shoulder. This ritual dance is again performed at night and continues till dawn. The conclusion of the festival is marked by a scintillating display of fireworks.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thrissur, about 2 km.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km from Thrissur.
Disclaimer
In Kerala, festival dates are decided in accordance with the Malayalam calendar and the local traditions and customs. We have calculated the festival dates based on these. But there can be changes in the dates according the customs and rituals associated with each place of worship. As such, these should be considered only as approximate dates and have to be confirmed with the local authorities.
