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Place :Palakkad
Area:4480 sq. km
Population:2,382,235
(2001 census)
Altitude: Above sea level
The district of Palakkad known
as the granary of Kerala, is a
land of valleys, hillocks,
rivers, forests, mountain
streams, dams and irrigation
projects. Situated at the foot
of the Western Ghats, this is
the gateway to Kerala from the
north. Palakkad derives its name
from the Malayalam words Pala (
Alsteria scholaris) and Kadu
(forest) which goes to prove
that this place was once a
beautiful stretch of forests
covered with the sweet scented
flowers of the Pala tree.
Events :
Kalpathy Ratholsavam
Event Date : 13 Nov,2004
Kalpathy Ratholsavam (the last
three days of the annual seven
day chariot festival) at Sree
Viswanathaswamy Temple, Kalpathy,
3 km from Palakkad town.
Kalpathy, an early Tamil Brahmin
settlement is also known as
Dakshin Kasi (the Varanasi of
the south) The temple is over
700 years old. Festival
highlights: * Vedic recitals *
Spectacular procession of
beautifully decorated temple
chariots drawn through the
streets by thousands of devotees
* Cultural programmesDeity of
the temple:Lord Siva
Pariyanampatta Pooram
Pariyanampatta Bhagavathy Temple
Kattukulam, Palakkad.
Event Date : 19 Feb,2005
Annual seven day Pooram at
Pariyanampetta Bhagavathy
Temple, Kattukulam 40 km from
Palakkad. Festival highlights: *
Tholpavakoothu *
Kalamezhuthupattu * Pootham *
Thira * Karivela * Kaalavela *
Kuthiravela * Kathakali *
Chakyarkoothu * Ceremonial
procession of 21 elephants on
the last dayDeity of the
temple:Goddess Bhagavathy.
Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy
Temple Palappuram, Palakkad
Event Date : 24 Feb,2005
Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy
Temple, Palappuram, about 5 km
from Ottappalam, Palakkad, north
Kerala.
The day long Pooram is the
annual festival at Sree
Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy Temple
at Palappuram. A grand
procession of thirty-three gaily
caparisoned elephants in the
evening is the highlight of the
Pooram. The pagent is
accompanied by the traditional
temple percussion ensemble.
About sixteen well decorated
Kuthiras (horse motifs) and
eight Kaalas (bull motifs) are
also brought in a procession to
the temple by devotees. Artforms
like Velattu, Poothanumthirayum
, Aandi vedan, Karivela,
Kubhamkali (dancing with pots)
etc., are presented.
Tholpavakoothu (shadow puppetry)
is conducted on seventeen
evenings preceeding the Pooram.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station:
Ottappalam, about 5 km from the
shrine.
Nearest airport: Coimbatore in
neighbouring State of Tamilnadu,
about 85 km from the shrine.
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