The annual festival of Ernakulam Shiva Temple (Ernakulathappan Uthsavam) is organized during Malayalam Month Makaram (January/February). Festival goes for 8 days and exact date is changing every year.
If you are at Ernakulam it is worth to check tourist office at boat ferry terminal to Fort Kochi – they mostly know date of the festival. The festival is organized at Shiva Temple at Ernakulam – it is on the corner of Park Ave and Durban Hall Rd. It is missing on the map of South Indian & Kerala Lonely Planet Guide Book. The temple’s uthsavam starts with hoisting the temple flag (Kodiyettam) on the first day evening. Lot of culture activities are organized through next days. The most interesting part is “pakalpooram” which is held in the streets around temple (Durban Hall Rd) and also at ground near temple. Important information is that it is the day before festival ends. Pakalpooram is procession with elephants where in the streets local people makes offering to Shiva God. The procession is accompanied by “pancha-vadhyam” or so called “five instruments”. This is of course followed by loud crackers.
