Goddess Dhumavati is the seventh Mahavidya among the 10 Mahavidyas and is a fearsome aspect of Goddess Shakti. Dhumavati is depicted as widow. She has a banner with a crow and sometimes carries a broom. Goddess Dhumavati is considered as a protective deity by some Hindu communities. Tantric worshippers propitiate her for materialistic gains. Dhumavati is associated with all things that are inauspicious. She is also constantly hungry and thirsty. She causes quarrels and has a bad temper. She is believed to appear during cosmic dissolution. Some scholars are of the view that she is the void that is there before creation and after destruction.

Maruthur Thali Shiva temple is an ancient temple with a long history and is located at Maruthur in Palakkad district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Mahadeva – Shiva. The annual Shivratri festival, which falls in the last week of February or first fortnight of March, is of great importance in the shrine. Maruthur Thali Shiva temple is one among the 64.5 Thali temples in ancient Kerala. A powerful Shivling is worshipped inside a two tier square sanctum sanctorum – randu nila chathura sreekovil. There are upa devatas here. The sankalpam of Shiva is here that of Mahadeva with Goddess Parvati – thus this is a wish fulfilling and happy form of Shiva. The temple is surrounded on four sides by paddy fields. The temple itself is covered by huge trees. Among the 64.5 Thali temples, 18.5 temples were considered very important and Marthur Thali temple is one among them. You can watch a beautiful video of this temple here on Youtube

Ramanattukara Pariharapuram Subrahmanya temple is located at Ramanattukara in Kozhikode district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Subrahmanya or Murugan. The prathishta dinam in the temple is held in Kumbha Masam. Thaipooyam in Makara Masam is an important occasion in the temple. The sankalpam of the deity in the temple is that of Bala Subrahmanya – child form of Bhagavathi. The deity is lovingly known as Pariharapureshan. This is a major temple with a two-tier chathura sreekovil. The temple has namaskara mandapam and shrine of upa devatas and numerous other sacred places within the compound. The temple observes Kalamezhuthu Pattu. The annual Thaipooyam festival concludes with arattu ceremony. Unlike other Subramanya temples, Bhasma Abhishekam is not performed in this shrine.

Mannalur Chirathura Bhagavathi Temple is located at Mannalur (Manjalur or Manjaloor) in Palakkad district, Kerala. The temple is famous for the annual Manjaloor Kummatti festival held in Kumbha Masam (March). The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi. Bhagavathi is worshipped in a Chathura sreekovil and the shrine is surrounded by paddy fields. The temple has a shrine of upa devata. The important rituals during the annual festival include parachoriyal, eduvedi ( ഈടുവെടി ), procession with panchavadyam, caparisoned elephants, andikoothu, velavadhyam and vandivesham. Pandi melam is performed in the temple during the occasion. Pottivela and Valiyavela are the other festivities.   The shrine also observes important Goddess Bhagavathi festivals like Navratri and Thrikarthika.

Paravur Kunnath Sri Krishna temple is located at Paravur on the Pozhikkara – Paravur road in Kollam district, Kerala. The main deity worshipped in the temple is Bhagavan Sri Krishna. The temple observes its annual festival on Rohini nakshatra day in Kumbha Masam. This is small temple with a regular sanctum. There are no other main structures other than the sreekovil and a large pillared high roof structure. The annual festival in the temple is noted for Vaishnava pujas and rituals, Kerala temple art forms, procession and melam. The upa devatas worshipped in the temple include Nagas. Yet another important festival in the temple is the Ashtami Rohini or Gokulashtami in Chinga Masam.

Muthrukunnu Bhagavathy Temple, also known as Manjeri Kunnthambalam is a 2000-year old temple located in Malappuram district, Kerala. The Kunnath temple is dedicated to Bala Durga, manifestation of child form of Goddess Durga. The annual festival of this temple, popularly known as Manjeri Pooram is observed in Meena masam. The annual festival concludes on Uthram nakshatra in Meenam month with arattu procession. The annual festival begins with kodiyettam (ceremonial flag hoisting). The festival witnesses various tantric rituals and ceremonies. Kalamezhuthum Pattum is one of the major rituals held during the festival. Yet another   major highlight of the festival is the Pakal Pooram which happens on the eighth day. Processions of various folk art forms like Pootham, Kaala, Nayadi Pootham, Chaliyam Kuthira (Vethalam) etc are part of this grand annual festival. The temple is located atop a hill. The sanctum sanctorum is circular in shape (vatta sreekovil) with the four handed Durga Go

Thidapally is the place where naivedyam or prasadam is prepared in a temple. It is the kitchen of the temple. Thidappally is also known as Madappally. Naivedyams likes different types of payasams, ada, appa, unakkalari choru etc are prepared in the Thidappally. Thidappally is usually located on the east side of chuttambalam (chuttambalathinte thekkekettil kizhake pakuti). Well for taking water for cooking is usually located on the northeast corner of the Chuttambalam. The naivedyam prepared in the Thidappally is carried to the sreekovil or sanctum sanctorum. Shankh or conch is blown for asking people to give way to the pujari carrying the naivedyam.

Nanminda Narakassery Bhagavathy temple is located at Nanminda in Kozhikode district, Kerala. This is a powerful Bhagavathy temple. The annual festival in the temple is held in Kumbha Masam (February – March) and is known as Narakassery Bhagavathy Thira. The shrine has a chathura sreekovil with bimbham of Bhagavathy. There are special places for upa devatas. The annual festival is famous for kalavara Nirakkal, malar naivedya puja, vellattam, kalasam ezhunnallathu, thalappoli and thira. Ezhunnallathu atop caparisoned elephant are part of the festival. The annual pratishta festival in the temple is held in Malayalam Mithuna Masam (June - July).

Viruttanam Bhagavathy temple is located at Viruttanam near Ittonam in Thrissur district, Kerala. The prathishta of Dwarikanasini Devi and Veerabhadra Swamy is in one peedom in the sreekovil of the temple. The 10-day annual festival in the temple is held in Kumbha Masam (March – April). This is one of the rare temples where ten days of festival is conducted which has special tantric importance. The Utsavam Kodiyettam is on Rohini Nakshatra of Kumbha Masam and the Aarattu ceremony is held on Atham day. The Kodimaram is brought by Pilakkad desom devotees and palm tree is used for Kodimaram in the traditional way. 9th day Pallivetta is held and Aarattu is held on 10th day.  All the desams have a participative role in the Utsavam.  On the 5th day utsavam, ezhunellippu comes from Irumkutur, Thirumittacode, Rayamangalam, Irumbakassery and Ezhumangad which are known as 5 desams. Similarly, 6th day ezhunellippu is brought from Desamangalam, Thalassery, Kondayur, Varavattur, Pallur, Kodappar

The word papa is a commonly used Sanskrit word. It is used by people, who do not even know Sanskrit, as it is present in almost every Indian language. The widely used meaning of the word papa is sin. The signs of papa are that it leads away from dharma to unrighteousness. It is the cause of misery and the undesirable. It leads to adversity and the destruction of a person. Papa is committed due to the absence of the control of the sense organs. It also results due to the non-performance of the regular duties stipulated in the Vedas. Human beings can commit papa even by their minds. Any action that has a possibility of leading to one’s committing papa is also papa. In this sense, drinking intoxicating liquors becomes papa because that could lead one to committing some bad or evil actions. In Sanatana Dharma, killing of living beings other than for dharma and food, stealing, ungratefulness, and the company of the evil are considered to be papa. Papa is said to be ten divided into th

Perambra Elamaran Kulangara Bhagavathi temple is located at Perambra in Kozhikode district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi. The annual festival in the temple concludes with arattu on Makayiram nakshatra day in Kumbha Masam. This is a traditional Kerala style temple with a chuttambalam, namaskara mandapam and a sreekovil. The temple has a chathura sreekovil. The annual festival in the temple is famous for ezhunellippu, poothan, thira and numerous other temple rituals that is seen across the Kozhikode region. The temple also has tantric pujas and rituals. The shrine also observes the annual Navratri festival and Thrikarthika festival.

Kunnathupalam Kaimangalam Vishnu temple is located at Kunnath Palam – Mathara in Kozhikode district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Vishnu. The annual pratishta festival in the temple is held in Kumbha masam. This is a small shrine with a chathura sreekovil. There are shrines of upa devatas. Thiruvonam nakshatra in all Malayalam month is of importance in the shrine.

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Friday, 11 February 2022 – It is Shukla Paksha Dashami tithi or the tenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Shukla Paksha Dashami tithi or the tenth day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 1:46 PM on February 11. Then onward it is Shukla Paksha Ekadashi tithi or the eleventh day during the waxing or light phase of moon till 3:35 PM on February 12. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on February 11, 2022 as per Hindu Calendar – Good and auspicious time after 7:47 PM.  Nakshatra  – Rohini nakshatra till 3:50 AM on February 11 . Then onward it is Mrigasira or Makayiram or Mrigasheersham nakshatra till 6:27 AM on February 12 . (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karnataka and south Rajasthan), Rohi