Kodimoottil Sri Bhadrakali Temple is located at Parippally in
Kollam District in Kerala. The 10-day annual festival or Utsavam in the
temple is observed in Malayalam Kumbham month and begins with Pongala ritual. The temple festival attracts
hundreds of devotees. The festival is famous for
Paripally Gajamela (parading of nearly 50 elephants). It is held on the Ashwathy nakshatra in Kumbha Masam.
The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Shiva, Ganapathy, Navagrahas and Nagas (sarpam).
Various unique offerings are made at the shrine during the
period. Pongala ritual comprises of preparing ‘prasad’ for the deity outside the shrine. Women cook rice and jaggery in earthen pots and they offer it to the Goddess. They also cook different type of sweet dishes with rice powder and jaggery. Coconut tree fronds are used to cook the ‘prasad.’
The temple is traditionally decorated with plantain, coconut
leaves, flowers, leaves, traditional lamps and lights for the occasion.
Traditional performing arts, music and dance are staged
during the period.
Caparisoned elephants, melam, fireworks and sheevali are
part of the festival.
The festival ends with Arattu. The utsava murti of the deity
is taken out of the shrine for ritual bathing on the final day. Caparisoned
elephants and melam are part of the ritual.
The shrine also observes Navratri and Thrikarthika in Vrischika Masam.