Kerala Travel Guide

About Kerala
It's an intricate network of innumerable lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and the deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. Over 900 km of this labyrinthine waterworld is navigable. The largest backwater stretch in Kerala is the Vembanad lake which flows through three districts and opens out into the sea at the Kochi port.

The Ashtamudi Lake (literally, having eight arms), which covers a major portion of Kollam district in the south, is the second largest and is considered the gateway to the backwaters.

The Ketturvallom: Showcasing a unique heritage The kettuvalloms (houseboats) of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length. It took great skill and meticulousness to construct these giants by tying huge planks of jack wood together, without the use of a single nail.

Today, these goods carriers have been adapted to make the most exciting tourism product in India, the luxurious furnished houseboat. A kettuvallom usually has one or two bath attached bedrooms, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a crew comprising oarsmen, a cook and guide.

Backwaters of Kerala
It's an intricate network of innumerable lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and the deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. Over 900 km of this labyrinthine waterworld is navigable. The largest backwater stretch in Kerala is the Vembanad lake which flows through three districts and opens out into the sea at the Kochi port.

The Ashtamudi Lake (literally, having eight arms), which covers a major portion of Kollam district in the south, is the second largest and is considered the gateway to the backwaters.

The Ketturvallom
Showcasing a unique heritage The kettuvalloms (houseboats) of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length. It took great skill and meticulousness to construct these giants by tying huge planks of jack wood together, without the use of a single nail.

Today, these goods carriers have been adapted to make the most exciting tourism product in India, the luxurious furnished houseboat. A kettuvallom usually has one or two bath attached bedrooms, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a crew comprising oarsmen, a cook and guide.

Festivals of Kerala
Velichappadu/Komaram:
(literally, revealer of light): The oracle is usually dressed in red and carries a sword and shield. Possessed by the spirit of the deity the oracle dances in a frenzy at the festivals in Bhagavathy temples.

Arattu:
(holy bath) is a ritual connected with the closing of a festival. The idols of deities are carried in a procession to the river for the holy bath. The purified idols are then escorted back to the temple accompanied by a grand elephant pageant, Panchavadyam, nadaswaram and chendamelam.

Chuttuvilakku:
(literally, chuttu-surround, vilakku-lamp), the thousands of oil lamps fixed on the outer walls of the temple.

Ezhunnallathu:
is the ceremonial procession of the idols of a temple. The procession usually comprises various art forms, traditional temple music and elephant pageants.

Kodiyettam
It is the ceremonious flag hosting ceremony denoting the beginning of the festival or festive season in a temple, church or mosque.

Paraveppu:
A ritual performed in many Hindu homes as part of a festival. The para (wooden/brass measure) full of paddy is arranged in front of the house along with the lighted lamp and other offerings like fruit, jaggery and so on the offering is collected by a procession of elephants carrying the thidampu (idol of the deity of the temple).

Pongala:
This ritual offering to goddess Bhagavathy, is a preparation of rice, jaggery, coconut and plantains cooked together, in the temple premises.

Dances of Kerala
Kanniyarkali (Deshathukali) which is a ritual art and a swift dance form, performed to the accompaniment of devotional folk songs and the resounding drum beats is usually performed in Bhagavathy temples.

Kavadiyattam is a ritual dance offering in Subramanya temples. The group of devotees wearing bright yellow or saffron costumes with ash smeared all over the body, dance in a frenzy carrying Kavadis on their shoulders. Kavadis are colourful bow shaped wooden structures rising six to ten feet high. The ambalakavadi is structured and decorated like a temple. The Pookavadi has clusters of colourful paper, cloth or plastic flowers arranged on them. The resounding beats of percussion instruments like udukku and chenda and the nadaswaram are characteristic of the kavadi procession.

Kettukazhcha is a spectacular pageant of colourfully decorated effigies of gods and goddesses, and images of animals like the horse, bull etc.

Kolkali is a group dance form of the farming community in Kerala. Twelve to twenty four dancers move rhythmically in a circle around the ceremonial lamp, tapping the two feet long wooden sticks held in their hands.

Kummattikali is a temple folk art and an awe inspiring mask dance.

Kumbhamkali / kumbhamthullal (pot dance) is a folk ritual dance of devotees carrying pots on the head.

Kuthiottam is a ritual art exclusive to the Devi temples of south Kerala. A team of artistes perform this song and dance ritual. The songs include those in praise of
Durga and other deities, Padapattu (war songs) and Kalaripattu (martial art songs). Instrumental accompaniments are mainly percussions, ganjira, bells and chaplankatta. Faces are painted and red curtains are used as partitions on the stage.

Pooram is the great elephant pageant of certain temples in Kerala. Bejewelled tuskers numbering ten to hundred, line up for this exotic spectacle with mahouts siting atop them carrying the muthukuda (tinsel covered silk parasols) and waving the venchamaram (white tufts). The pageant is accompanied by the panchavadyam which gradually works up to a crescendo. The most fascinating aspect of the pooram is the Kudamattom ritual, the ceremonial synchronised changing of the colourful parasols held aloft the elephants.

Mamangam (the term today describes any endeavour that is reckless and expensive). This festival is a replication of the cultural extravaganza held every 12 years by the zamorins of Malabar in the middle ages. Royal families, principalities and chieftains from all over Kerala used to participate in this great cultural event which was held on the grounds of the Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple at Ponnani in Malappuram.

Mayilnritham/Mayilattom is a ritual art performed by artistes in peacock costume. It is performed in Subramanya in south Kerala. Oppana is a Muslim bridal group dance.

Padayani (literally, a column of army) is a colourful ritual art which is symbolic of the victory march of goddess Kali after she defeated the demon Darika. The elaborate costume of this art form bears slight resemblance to Theyyam.

Poothamkali (pootham) is a folk art more commonly performed in the Bhagavathy temples of Malappuram. Pootham is the character who accompanied Durga in her combat with Darika asura. The performers, usually three in number, undergo a week of austerity before the presentation. Colourful and intricately designed masks carved out of the pala and murukku trees are the highlights of the attire. The fifteen minute performance starts slowly and works up to a frenzy towards the end. The thudi provides rhythm to the dance which is usually rendered at night.

Pulikali also known as kaduvakali is a common sight in Kerala during festive seasons. Performers painted like tigers in bright yellow, red and black, dance to the loud beats of percussion instruments like the udukku and thakil.