Beginning of the year is festival time. It is quite easy to see some of the many festivals at Kerala state at South India. One of them is Thaipooya Mahotsavam festival.
The Thaipooya Mahotsavam festival is one of the well know festivals of Kerala state, South India, and is celebrated every year for one (maximally two) day(s) in February. It is always necessary to check exact day because many festivals have not fixed days and it depends on local traditions. In year 2012 Thaipooya Mahotsavam festival was held at 7th (and 8th) of February.
The Thaipooya Mahotsavam festival is dedicated to Lord Subramanya, the eldest son of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi. It is celebrated in most of the temples around Kerala but Thrissur town is well known as interesting place to see this celebration. It is celebrate at Sree Maheswara Temple at Koorkancheri in the Thrissur town at Kerala. Thrissur is about 70 kilometers from famous Kochi town and it is easy to reach it either by bus or by train.
During the festival the temple is crowded by a lot of people – devotees who carry Kavadies or wooden arches of different shapes and sizes. These arches are finely decorated mostly by artificial flowers and dance in celebration. This ritual dance is called Kavadiyattom and it starts at morning until noon then it breaks through the hottest part of the day. Dancing continues at evening. There are several groups (6 groups at 2012 year) who performing the dance. It is also fairly competition which group has nicest decoration. Each dance group consist from several ambalakkavadi - it is a decorated model of a temple which is high and tall which a male devotee carries on his shoulders - and many pookkavadi participate in a dance. There is also music band which plays really loud rhythmic and exotic music. Sometimes dance group is accompanied by procession of several elephants. Festival should end by firework at night.
