Vamanamurthy Temple, Thrikakkara – Festivals

Vamanamurthy Temple, Thrikakkara – Festivals

Onam Festival:

Thrikakkara temple is considered to be the centre of Onam celebrations over the world, as Thrikakkara is considered to have been the abode of the King Mahabali. The celebration of the Onam festival is the main religious event in the temple. The festival is celebrated over a period of ten days in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The Onam festival is celebrated here in a colourful manner as a festival spanning over ten days. Devotees contribute money for public feasts. A large number of mobile shops make it a trade fair. A notable fireworks show is held towards the end of the celebration.

In earlier times the Onam festival was jointly organized by the 61 Naduvazhis (local rulers) under the leadership of the Maharaja of Travancore. The temple houses the main deity Lord Vamana. During the Onam celebration period, a pyramidal statue symbolizing Lord Vamana is installed as a symbol of honour at all other sites of the celebration, and named Thrikkakara-appan. The temple is the site at which the king Mahabali is said to have been sent to the underworld Pathala by Lord Vamana with his foot, hence marking the genesis of the Onam festival. The etymology of the name Thrikakkara ('Thiru-Kaal-Kara' meaning 'place of the holy foot') is also derived this way.

Some features of the Onam festival at Thrikakkara are;

Arts Performances:

During the period of 10 days, the temple showcases performances in several cultural arts such as Chakyar Koothu, Ottamthullal, Kathakali and Patakam as well as dance and musical performances such as Panchavadyam and Thayambaka. Each day also has its own ceremonial significance, and the temple authorities perform several ceremonial rites which involve the main deity and the other deities housed at the temple (namely Lord Ayyappa, Devi, Lord Krishna and Rakshasa). The Shiva temple located beside the main temple is also involved in these rites. In 2015, the Malayali actress Navya Nair presented a dance performance named 'Shivoham' at the temple.

Flag Hoisting & Lowering:

The temple festival begins on the first day (Atham) with the Kodiyettu ceremony, which is a flag-hoisting ceremony common in festivals in temples in Kerala. The festival ends on the 10th and final day, which starts off with a symbolic welcome of the Asura king Mahabali. The closing of the festival is marked with the lowering of the flag and bathing of the idol, referred to as Aarrattu.

Atthachamayam Procession & Finale: 

The festival is flagged off all over Kerala by a grand procession beginning at Thrippunithuranear Kochi called Athachamayam. In olden days, the Kochi Maharaja would head a grand military procession in full ceremonial robes from his palace to the Thrikakkara temple.

Onam Feast:

A highlight of the festival is the grand banquet, or Sadya, held on the last two days of the festival at the temple campus. The feast has grown significantly in magnitude each year, and is currently attended by more than twenty thousand people. People belonging to different faiths and religions turn out in large numbers for the Sadya in keeping with the spirit of the festival.

Decoration of Idol:

The Chaarthu is a form of decoration of the Vamana idol using mainly sandalwood paste, ornaments and clothing. On each day, the idol is decorated in the form of one of the Ten Avatars of Vishnu, including the Matsya (fish), Kurma (Tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (half-man & half-lion), Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Balarama, Krishna, Kalki and Trivikrama (another form of Vamana).

Processions:

The Pakalpooram is a grand procession held on the penultimate (9th) day of the celebrations. A similar procession, called Seeveli, is also held on the final day. The procession involves leading the main deity Vamana on a ceremonial elephant around the temple campus, along with a group of about eight caparisoned elephants and accompanying Panchavadyam. The procession pauses at each of the gates of the temple (East, West, North and South), and proceeds to return the idol back to its inner sanctum. The procession is similar to the one held in festivities at the Guruvayur temple.

Other Festivals:

Apart from Onam, the temple also observes important festivals in the Hindu calendar such as Vishu, Diwali, Makar Sankranti, Navarathri and Saraswathi Puja.