Date: 23 December 2019.
Venue: Kalliot Devi Temple, Kasaragod district of Kerala.
Kerala boasts an endless number of vivacious and extraordinary temple festivals that are equally entertaining and enriching. Each district of Kerala, starting from Trivandrum to Kasaragod, hosts numerous temple festivals in terms of celebrations, heritage and culture that it proclaims.
The temple festivals of Kerala include Thrissur Pooram, Vaikathashtami, Chettikulangara Bharani, Kalpathy Ratholsavam, Attukal Pongala, etc, and the list goes on. One such temple festival is Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam, which is held at Kalliot Devi Temple in Kasaragod district. The main highlight of this festival is that it is conducted once every 717 years.
Let’s Take a Look at this Unique Festival of Kerala, Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam, in Detail:
Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam is a vibrant temple festival which is going to be held at Kalliot Devi Temple in Kasaragod district after 717 years. The festival begins on December 23 2019, Monday and continues until the end of the month. Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam is noted for its amazing blend of rhythmic steps and hypnotic chants, which reflect art, rituals, traditions, heritage, music and the ancient culture of Kerala.
The most highlighted feature of Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam is the Theyyam – a famous ritual art form of worship. A celebration of divinity and devotion, Theyyam is performed with elaborate face-painting, bright costumes and huge headgear, which is regarded as the most sacred part of the costume. The Theyyam dancers are considered as embodiments of the deity itself, and they perform energetic steps in sync with the primal rhythm of drums, offering a visual spectacle for the audience as well as a spiritual ambience all around. The performance is also accompanied by folk musical instruments and ritual songs. Generally, Theyyam is performed after sunset under the light of fire-torches.
The spectacular Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam is one of the much-awaited festivals of Malabar, and the people of Malabar are sure to celebrate it with great ardour, devotion and festivity. An array of lively and exclusive rituals like divine music, grand performances of Theyyam forms like Vishnumoorthi, Gulikan, Pottan, Rakthachamundi, as well as Perumkaliyattam Kalamela, different art forms, cultural programmes, exhibitions, symposiums, etc, are also conducted as part of Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam.
Getting There:
By Air: Kannur International Airport, about 99.7 Km.
By Rail: Kanhangad Railway Station, about 14.9 Km.
By Road: Kasaragod is well-linked to major cities of the country by road. One can board a bus or hire a taxi to reach Kalliot Devi Temple.
Head to Kalliot Devi Temple in Kasaragod to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of witnessing the century’s magico-religious art, Perumkaliyattam Mahotsavam.
With Cholan Tours, and its customizable tour packages you can explore the extraordinary festivals and vibrant cultural heritage of Kerala, one stage at a time.
