Sita is the wife of Rama, the seventh of Vishnu, and is esteemed an exemplar of womanly and wifely virtue. According to Hindu belief, Sita was herself an avatāra of Lakshmi, Vishnu's eternal consort, who chose to reincarnate herself on Earth as Sita, and endure an arduous life, in order to provide humankind an example of such virtues... The legends build on ancient Indian traditions which hold, in wry spirit, that one's worst enemies are re-born as one's own children to fulfill the karma of one's sins..... read more (1434 words)

Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, Communist politician from Kerala, India. Polit Bureau member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) since 1985. Currently (2006) Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly. .... read more (468 words)

Dasaratha, King of Ayodhya, has three wives and four sons. Rama is the eldest. His mother is Kaushalya. Bharata is the son of his second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi. The other two are twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Rama and Bharata are blue toned, perhaps indicating they were dark skinned or originally south Indian deities. .... read more (805 words)

Mamankam was held once in every 12 years at Thirunavaya, on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha. Celebrated for 28 days, it was also an enormous trade fair in which traders from various places came to Thirunavaya. At the grand finale, which was a great assembly of rulers, the new king of Kerala was selected. Two of the earlier kings who are known to have abdicated their thrones following this route were Kulasekara Alwar (8th century) and Cheraman Perumal (A.D 825). With the rule of the Perumals coming to an end, the right to conduct Mamankam vested with the ruler of Valluvanad..... read more (4562 words)

The word 'Adivasi' means 'original inhabitants' in Sanskrit, and therefore the term means the indigenous people of India. However, their status is being distorted and denied particularly by the Hindu fundamentalists within India, and the government has also taken the consistent position at the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Indigenous Populations that the STs are not equivalent to indigenous peoples and that 'the entire population of India ... [is] ... indigenous to the country'. This despite the overwhelming academic, legal, literary, popular and official practice or view both within and outside India to the contrary..... read more (419 words)

Located high in the Wayanad Hills at Valliyoorkkavu, 3 kms from Mananthavady town, the temple is dedicated to goddess Bhagavathy. .... read more (60 words)

Swathi festival is a gala event of music organised by the Government of Kerala every year in the last week of January. .... read more (48 words)

The annual feast of the Pattambi Mosque situated 61 kms from Palakkad, falls in the first week of February. About 70- 80 tuskers are lined up for the festival..... read more (66 words)

Every year, from February 21st to 27th renowned classical dancers perform at the Nisangandhi, an open air theatre in Thiruvananthapuram city. .... read more (56 words)

Miladi Sharif or Nabi-Dinam, the Birthday celebration of Prophet Mohammed, is a major Muslim festival in Kerala and falls in the month of July. The most important event of the festival is the recital of 'Moulood', a short biography of the Prophet written in Arabic..... read more (45 words)

Situated at Manarkad near Kottayam, this church consecrated to St. Mary is an outstanding Syrian Jacobite Shrine. .... read more (55 words)

The five day annual festival at Sree Manantheswara Vinayaka temple at Madhur in Kasargod is a colorful event. On the fourth day, the image of the deity (Thidampu) is taken out in a long procession. .... read more (73 words)

Kottankulangara Chamayavillanku is a unique festival, which is held at the Kottankulangara temple in Chavara, near Kollam, where hundreds of sturdy men dress up as comely females. This is an offering to the goddess Bhagavathy, the deity of the temple. .... read more (36 words)

Kodungalloor, 50 kms north of Kochi, was the ancient port town of Muziris or Crangannore. Goddess Bhagavathi is the presiding deity of the ancient temple here. .... read more (64 words)

Kadammanitta, a village 8 kms away from Pathanamthitta is famous for its annual Patayani festival held in the premises of the Devi temple. Patayani, a ritual art form is an offering to the mother Goddess. . .... read more (36 words)

Indira Gandhi Boat Race is a grand fest on the rolling backwaters of Kochi. Conducted in the last week of December, it is a fitting finale to the Tourism Fair, which attracts travellers from all parts of the globe. .... read more (44 words)

The goddess Bhagavathy is the presiding deity of the small temple of Elamkavu Attuvela, situated 3 kms from Vaikom on the banks of river Vadayar. .... read more (64 words)

Falls on the first day of Malayalam month Medam (April), which is the astronomical New Year Day when the sun crosses the equator. .... read more (126 words)

One of the most famous festivals of central Kerala, Uthralikavu Pooram is celebrated in the Malayalam month 'Kumbham' (February/ March). .... read more (67 words)

The Thirunakara Temple situated in the heart of Kottayam and dedicated to Lord Siva is also famous for the grandeur of its traditional architecture..... read more (49 words)

The Sabarimala Temple festival is celebrated in honour of Lord Ayyapa who is revered by all in India..... read more (290 words)

Parassini Madappura is perhaps the only shrine in Kerala to celebrate a festival round the year. The 'Utsavam', the festival begins in December. 'Theyyam', the ritual offering here is performed every morning and evening by the priest who is called 'Madayan'. .... read more (54 words)

The Oachira Temple is the venue of the famous Oachirakkali (Oachira dance) held in June, a sort of ancient choreographed mock battle. Unlike other temples, there is no shrine or idol at the oachira temple, located nearly 32 kms from Kollam. .... read more (35 words)

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most famous of the boat races of Kerala. This annual regatta is held on the Punnamada Backwaters of Alappuzha district on the second Saturday of August. .... read more (48 words)

This Christian Convention is held each year in February on the sprawling sand banks of the river Pamba, 16 kms east of Thiruvalla town..... read more (67 words)

The feast or the 'Perunnal' at the famous Catholic Church at Malayatoor is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter, in the months of March/April..... read more (53 words)

'Machattuvela' also known as 'Machattu Mamangam', is celebrated with great pomp, pageantry and splendour on the last day of the five-day annual festival at Machattu Thiruvanikavu Temple near Vadakkancherry, Thrissur. .... read more (40 words)

Konganpada is a festival combining religious beliefs with history, celebrated at the Bhagavathy temple at Chittoor, 11 kms from Palakkad town. .... read more (71 words)

The festival of 'Kodikuthu' is celebrated on the 14th of January each year, in Kanjiramattom Mosque, 25 kms from Ernakulam. .... read more (57 words)

The Jews of Kerala are believed to have migrated to this place in the first century following the destruction of the second temple of Jerusalem in 72 AD. .... read more (66 words)

Flavour, the exotic food festival provides a rare opportunity to the gourmets to taste the traditional, authentic Cuisine of Kerala and India. The national food festival is held in Thiruvananthapuram from 5th to the 11th of April, every year. .... read more (24 words)

Situated on the banks of the Pamba river, this massive shrine at Edathua- 23 kms south-east of Alappuzha, resembles the churches of medieval Europe. .... read more (71 words)

Cochin Carnival is a merry making feast observed during the last week of every year in Fort Kochi in Kerala. The carnival dates back to the Portuguese New Year revelry held here during the colonial days. .... read more (74 words)

The Madre De Teus Church, popularly known as Vettukadu church, is situated around 7 kms from Thiruvananthapuram. .... read more (63 words)

This is the most colourful and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. The legends and myths behind each festival of Kerala are many, varied and equally interesting. Since the word pooram literally means a group or a meeting, it was believed that every year the dynastic gods and goddesses of neighbouring province met together for a day of celebration. This usually happened on the pooram asterism of one of the spring months. .... read more (209 words)

Thapotsavam is the annual one-day festival celebrated on the fifth day after 'Vishu' in the Malayalam month of Medam (April) at the Ananthapura Lake Temple in Kumbala, Kasargod..... read more (65 words)

Id ul-Fitr, popularly known as Ramadan (but ideally pronounced Ramzan), falls in the seventh month of the lunar year (January- February) and is a major festival of the Muslims of Kerala.. .... read more (81 words)

Vishuvilakkutsavam, the eight-day annual festival at Palotukavu temple, falls in the Malayalam month of Medam (April/May). .... read more (63 words)

A major festival, Kettukazcha is held during the months of August/ September- September/ October at the Oachira Temple. Unlike other temples, there is no shrine or idol at the Oachira temple, located nearly 32 kms from Kollam.
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Muharram is the opening month of the Hijra year. The 10th day of this month (May) is honoured by the Muslims of Kerala. As per belief, it was on this day that the Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, and his men were slain at Karbala..... read more (23 words)

The largest assemblage of Theyyams is presented on the concluding day of the Utsavams at the Manjadukkam Thularuvana Bhagavathy Temple at Panathoor in Kasaragod district. .... read more (19 words)

Malabar Mahotsavam is a cultural extravaganza that showcases the centuries old rich cultural heritage of Kerala. The event is at Mananchira maidan (ground) in the heart of Kozhikode town from 13th to 16th January every year. .... read more (41 words)

Mandala Utsavam is the forty-one day annual festival at the Lokanarkavu Bhagavathy Temple near Vadakara in Kozhikode..... read more (73 words)

Valiya Nercha is the week long festival, celebrated at the Kondotty Mosque, situated at Kondotty on the Malappuram - Kozhikode route. Meaning 'the great vow', the festival is held in the month of March. .... read more (42 words)

The week-long annual festival of Ratholsavam (Chariot Festival) begins in the month of November, every year. Thousands of devotees haul the huge, intricately carved temple chariots through the streets. .... read more (144 words)