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Cherai Gowreeswara Temple Festival - Facts - Other Information

Cherai Gowreeswara Temple is located in Cherai Village in Ernakulam District of Kerala. The annual temple festival is observed in Makaram month. Cherai Gowreeswara Temple is located at Cherai and is around 8 km from North Paravoor. The ten-day annual festival ends on Pooram Nakshatra day in Makaram month. 

Cherai Gowreeswara temple was built in 1912 and is dedicated to Murugan. The murti in the temple was consecrated by Sree Narayana Guru on Kollavarsham 1087 Makarm 9 Avittam nakshatra. Sri Narayana Guru first consecrated the murti of Subramania. Then he did the prathishta of Ganpati in south, Sri Parvati in north and Sri Parameshwara in west.  

The festival is famous for display of 30 caparisoned elephants and panchavadyam. The festival is also noted for the display of fireworks. Thalapokka Malsaram of elephants is a main attraction of the festival. Kathakali, ottanthullal and other traditional art forms are performed during the festival. The annual festival is noted for various rituals.

Traditional performing arts, music and dance are staged during the period. Caparisoned elephants, melam, fireworks and sheevali are part of the 10-day festival.

The temple is traditionally decorated with plantain, coconut leaves, flowers, leaves, traditional lamps and lights.Hundreds of people arrive on the day to witness various rituals and festivities.

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.