Thiruvankulam Mahadeva Temple is located near Tripunithura
in Kerala. This famous Shiva shrine is around 4 km from Tripunithura town in
Ernakulam District. The festival is noted for unique rituals and festivities
and attracts scores of devotees. The festival ends with Arattu.
The 10-day festival ends on the Thiruvathira Nakshatra in Kumbham month. Shivratri is another important festival in the temple.
A powerful Shivling is worshipped in the chathura sreekovil - square sanctum sanctorum. The Upa Devatas worshipped here are Goddess Parvati, Ganapathy, Ayyappa and Nagaraja and Nagayakshi.
The temple has a nalambalam, namaskara mandapam, kodimaram and shrines of Upa Devatas.
The annual festival is noted for dhara, homam, yagna, abhishekam, pujas and rituals, ezhunellippu, Kerala temple folk arts and cultural programs.
The shrine also observes various other holy occasions like Ramayana Masam, Ayilyam pooja, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Navratri, Mandala kalam, Thrikarthika and Thiruvathira.
Various unique offerings are made at the shrine during the
period. Traditional performing arts, music and dance are staged
during the period. Caparisoned elephants, melam, fireworks and sheevali are
part of the festival. The temple is traditionally decorated with plantain, coconut
leaves, flowers, leaves, traditional lamps and lights. 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.