This month, we bring you glimpses of a rare temple festival, set in the panoramic eastern slopes of the Western ghats. The Mangaladevi temple is an ancient shrine which is more than 2000-years-old. The temple is located 15 km from Kumily, a popular destination of Idukki. Built in the Pandya style of architecture, the temple remains closed for the entire year except for the annual Chithra Pournami festival, celebrated in the month of April- May. Hundreds of pilgrims reach the temple from Kerala and the nearby state of Tamil Nadu after making a painstaking journey through the forest. The temple has as its deity Kannaki, an epic character of the classical Tamil text Chilappadikaram written by Elankovadikal.
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