| Festival Calendar |
| |
| January: |
| Sabarimala Festival and pilgrimmage (honouring the deity Ayyapan) |
| Pongal (honouring cows) |
| Thaipooram (honouring the deity Subramaya) |
| New Year |
| Republic Day |
| Snakeboat race (rerun for tourists) |
|
| February: |
| Holi (fires are lit to destroy demons) |
| Sri Krishna Temple Festival (10 days of elephant processions, bathing and dance) |
| Shivaratri (night-time chants and prayers to Shiva, with fairs afterwards in |
| New Year |
| Kovalam, Aluva and Attappady). |
| Muslim Bakrid (prayers and feasting) |
| Nishagandhi Dance Festival, Trivandrum |
|
| March: |
| Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Festival, Trivandrum (10 nights of elephant |
| processions and sea-bathing) |
| Good Friday |
| Easter |
|
| April: |
| Pooram (elephant and musical processions with a dazzling display of fireworks; |
| notably at Thrissur), |
| Vishu (Hindu new year) |
| Jewish Passover |
|
| May to July |
| May Day |
| Muslim ‘Muharram': (the birth of Prophet Mohammed) |
| Feast of St Thomas the Apostle (founder of Christianity in Kerala) |
|
| August: |
| Ashtami Rohini (Krishna's birthday, nightly feasts), |
| Onam (harvest festival with cultural presentations in every town in Kerala) |
| Snakeboat races on the backwaters |
| Independence Day |
|
| September: |
| Sarasvati (honouring the goddess of learning) |
| Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) |
|
| October: |
| Diwali (festival of lights), |
| Padmanabhaswamy Temple Festival for Sarasvati with elaborate processions |
| Mahatma Gandhi's birthday |
| Muslim ‘Chandanakkudham Mahotsavam' (pilgrimage to Bhemmapally Mosque nr Trivandrum) |
|
| November: |
| Start of Ramadan (month-long Muslim day-fast) |
| Festivals & Cultural Events near Cheruthuruthy – November 2006 |
| Date |
|
|
Distance approx |
| 01.11.06 |
Church Festival – 25 Elephants, Percussion & Procession – Marathancode – 1 st & 2nd |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 01.11.06 |
Church Festival – 15 Elephants, Percussion & Procession – Vyssery – 1 st & 2nd |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 01.11.06 |
Church Festival – 10 Elephants, Percussion & Procession – Girls School Church - 1 st & 2nd |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 01.11.06 |
Church Festival – 10 Elephants, Percussion & Procession – Chowannur - 1 st & 2nd |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 02.11.06 |
Church Festival – 20 Elephants, Percussion & Procession – Kattakambal – 2nd & 3rd |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 04.11.06 |
Church Festival Elephants, Percussion & Procession – Muleppat – 4th t & 5th |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 09.11.06 |
Kalamandalam Annual Day - Cheruthuruthy |
Cheruthuruthy |
2 Kms |
| 10.11.06 |
Elephants, Percussion & Music Concert – Sree Durga Temple |
Pazhayannur |
20 Kms |
| 11.11.06 |
Elephants, Percussion & Kuthu – Vettakkorumakan Temple |
Pazhayannur |
20 Kms |
| 13.11.06 |
Church Festival Elephants - 15, Percussion & Procession – Pengamukku – 13 th & 14th |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 17.11.06 |
Niramala, Elephants, Percussion & Kathakali – Mekkomkavu, Kalluvazhy |
Ottappalam |
15 Kms |
| 24.11.06 |
Church Festival Elephants, Percussion, Procession& fireworks – Valiyangadi – 24 th & 25 th |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 24.11.06 |
Church Festival Elephants, Percussion & Procession – 24 th & 25th |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 25.11.06 |
Church Festival Elephants, Percussion & Procession – 25 th & 26th |
Kunnamkulam |
40 Kms |
| 30.11.06 |
Elephants Procession – Guruvayoor Kesavan Day |
Guruvayoor |
45 Kms |
|
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| December: |
| Thiruvathira (women's dance and temple rituals honouring Shiva or Kamadeva) |
| Jewish Hannukah (Festival of lights): |
| End of Ramadan (month-long Muslim day-fast) |
| Christmas |
| Cochin carnival |
| Ashtamudi art and craft festival, Quilon |
|
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