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Showing posts from January 29, 2016


Konchiravila Devi Temple Festival And Pongala

Konchiravila Devi Temple is located at Konchiravila in Thiruvananthapuram District. The shrine is located around 1 km from Attukal Temple. The utsavam or 10- day annual festival is observed in Malayalam Kumbham month. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi - Durga and Bhadrakali. Both the deities are in standing posture in the sanctum sanctorum. The square sanctum sanctorum face north, which is very rare. The highlight of the festival is caparisoned elephants, melam and fireworks. Several unique rituals and pujas are performed during the festival period including Kuthiyottam. Traditional performing arts, music, songs and other cultural activities are held during the period. The festival ends with arattu on the final day. Upadevatas worshipped in the temple are Shiva, Ganapati and Nagas (Serpents).  Navratri (September - October is an important festival in the temple. Thrikarthika nakshatra day in Vrischikam month is another important festival here. Pongala ritual is held he

Peringottukara Somasekhara Temple Information - Festival - Sree Narayana Ashram - Vavu Bali Rituals

Peringottukara Somasekhara Temple is located in Thrissur District and is around 5 km from Triprayar. The annual festival in the shrine is observed in Malayalam Kumbham month. The weeklong festival attracts scores of devotees. The Shiva Linga pratishta in the temple was performed by Sri Narayana Guru on February 11, 1919 ( kollavarsham 1094 Kumbham 9). The shrine is famous for performing rituals for departed ancestors especially on Karkidaka Vavu Bali day in Karkidakam month. This is a well maintained shrine with a nalambalam, temple pond and kodimaram. A Shivling is worshipped in a square sanctum sanctorum. During the festival period, the temple is traditionally decorated with plantain, coconut leaves, flowers, leaves, traditional lamps and lights. Melam, caparisoned elephants, fireworks are part of the festivities. Traditional performing arts, music and dance are staged during the period. Various unique offerings are made at the shrine during the period. The festival ends

Kurampala Puthenkavil Bhagavathy Temple Padayani Festival And Adavi Ritual

Kurampala Puthenkavil Bhagavathy Temple is located near Pandalam on the Adoor – Pandalam road in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali. The padayani festival takes place here once in five years. The last festival was celebrated in 2021 and next will be in 2026. The festival is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Kumbham.  Kurampala Puthenkavil Bhagavathy Temple History Legend has it that Palappali Valiachan got the Puthenkavil Bhagavathy from Kodungallur temple (Avahichu Konduvarika). The Bhadrakali murti in the temple is 6 feet tall. The temple faces east. The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Yakshi and Marutha. The temple is situated in the middle of a sacred grove (kavu) full of herbs, huge trees and, creepers. There is a special ezhunellippu after Makara Bharani. A special ritual known as ‘Chottu Pidikkal’ is held by Puthathu Veetukar after the Bharani ritual. After this a person enters the grove or kavu and beats Veekhu Che

Story of Lilasuka

Lilasuka also known as Bilvamangala or Vilvamangala is the author of Krishna Karnamrita, a popular poem on Sri Krishna. There is a popular romantic story associated with Lilasuka. Lilasuka was in love with a beautiful courtesan named Chintamani. He was so infatuated with her that one day he crossed a flooded river on a stormy rainy night. He crossed the river on a corpse that was floating on the river. He mistook the corpse for a drifting piece of wood. He then climbed the walls of the house of Chintamani by means of a snake, which he mistook for a creeper. Lilasuka was brought to his senses by Chintamani, who said that such mad devotion was worthy of a higher object. He then took the life of an ascetic and completed the Krishnakarnamrita.

Aruvippuram Shiva Temple Festival

Aruvippuram Shiva Temple is located at Aruvippuram in Trivandrum District in Kerala. The annual festival in the temple is observed in Malayalam Kumbham month. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The shrine is associated with Sri Narayana Guru - the great social reformer of Kerala. The ten-day festival ends on the Mahashivratri day in Kumbham month The highlight of the festival is caparisoned elephants, melam and fireworks. Several unique rituals and pujas are performed during the festival period. Traditional performing arts, music, songs and other cultural activities are held during the period. The festival ends with arattu on the final day.

Benisagar in Jharkhand – Hindu Worship and Temples at Benisagar

Benisagar is located on the Orissa – Jharkhand border and is around 85 km from Chaibasa. It is an Archeological Survey of India notified site and excavation works are still going on. There is no proper temple structure. Hanuman, Mata Basuri (manifestation of Goddess Durga), Ganesh and Shivling are worshipped here. Maa Basuri is depicted as killing Demon Mahishasura. The most important festival observed here is Shivratri. There is no prayer in the evening here. Fruits and sweets like laddoo are offered as Bhoga here. A huge shivling in rectangular yonipitha, murtis of Agni, Durga, Bhairava, Yamuna and Lakulisha have been found in the site. It is now believed that from 5th century to 12th century the area was important center of Shiva worship. Tantric traditions flourished here.