Venue: Poruvazhi Malanada Temple, Adoor, Kollam district.
Hero-worship is something that you are all familiar with. But what if you get a chance to visit a temple where adorations are devoted not for a hero but for a villainous character in an epic. Poruvazhi Malanada Temple is that place where the worshipped figure is Duryodhana the antagonist in the Indian epic Mahabharata. Not just this; the temple doesn't have an idol or a sanctum sanctorum.
Poruvazhi Malanada Temple is also noted for a spectacular event called Malanada Kettukazcha a one-day festival celebrated in the month of March. The procession is a fascinating sight in which decorated structures are taken out to the accompaniment of traditional orchestra of drums. Some of these structures are 70 to 80 ft tall and they are made in a competitive spirit by the people of the surrounding villages. The structures are either carried on the shoulders or taken out on chariots. The event attracts large number of devotees every year.
Getting there:
From Chengannur station, you could take a local bus to Adoor (in Pathanamthitta district) bus terminus and from there another bus or taxi to Malanada.
Nearest railway station: Chengannur, about 30 km away from Malanada.
Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 92 km from Adoor.
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.
