The annual temple festival at Sreekanteswaram Temple at Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala, is observed in the Dhanu month as per traditional Malayalam calendar
followed in Kerala.
The annual festival begins ten days before the Thiruvathira
nakshatra in Dhanu month. The festival ends on Thiruvathira nakshatra with arattu.
The annual festival begins with Kodiyettam or the flag
hoisting ceremony.
The main deity in the temple Shiva faces east.
The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Ayyappan, Ganapathy and Nagam. Jyeshta or Mooshata devi is worshipped behind Ganapathy.
Ksheeradhara is performed for 24 hours during Mahashivratri.
The noon naivedyam in the temple is like a traditional sadya with thoran, parippu, moru, sharkara payasam, pullisseri, kannimanga, and mezhukkupuratti.
The shrine is traditionally decorated with plantain, coconut
leaves, flowers, traditional lamps and lights.
Special poojas and offerings are made during the festival
period and Annadanam is also organized.
Traditional performing arts like Kathakali and other events,
music and dance are staged during the period.
Caparisoned elephants, melam, fireworks and sheeveli are
part of the festival.
The festival ends with Arattu. The utsava murti of the deity
is taken out of the shrine for ritualistic bathing on the final day.
Caparisoned elephants and melam are part of the ritual. There is an all important parayeduppu after Arattu.