Elephant Pageants Kerala

The Kanjiramottam Nercha Celebration will be organised on January 15th, 2012. Kodikuthu is the festival celebrated at Kanjiramottam mosque that is a memorial to Sheikh Fariduddin.

The Chandanakkudam ritual involves pilgrims carrying on their heads at night earthern pots smeared with chandan (sandalwood paste) as they proceed to the mosque. They are accompanied by a procession of 6 ornately caparisoned elephants.

Folk Performances
  • Duffmuttu - Dance to the beat of the traditional duff or daf while singing  Islamic songs
  • Kolkalli - a dance that draws from the martial art form of Kalarippayattu. Dancers move in small steps to the rhythm they create beating small sticks. It begins in an expanded circle that draws close as the beat reaches a crescendo. 
Getting There: It is 25  km from Ernakulum railway station and 45 km from Kochi international airport.
Sightseeing Nearby:  Fort Kochi 
Adoor Gajamela festival is on February 2nd, 2012.In Sanskrit, Gaja = elephant, Mela = fair so Gajamela means Elephant Fair.

Adoor Gajamela, the pageant of elephants, is held annually on the last day of the ten day festival at Sree Parthasarathy temple at Adoor in Pathanamthitta district.

The Parthasarathy temple, facing east with a pond in front, is consecrated to Lord Krishna, who was Parathasarthy, charioteer to Partha who is Arjun, in the epic battle Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata. The presiding deity of Lord Krishna is in the form of Vishwaroopa that was manifest to Arjun when he faltered on the battlefield unwilling to take up arms against his elders.

Gajamela is the magnificent culmination of the 10 day festival. Mahouts seated under silken umbrellas called muthukuda decorated with white tufts and peacock feathers lead a spectacular procession of 9 caparisoned elephants adorned with glittering jewellery to the priests’ chant of the Vedas. The procession sways its way from the premises of the Parthasarathy temple and ending at Chennapatti temple which is 3 km from Adoor. Elephants from all over the state vie for the title of Gajarajappattam, the King of elephants.

The temple also celebrates Ashtamirohini – birth of Krishna during which traditional art forms are performed.

Dances during Ashtamirohini:

1.     Parichamuttukali- martial arts become part of this folk dance
2.     Mayooranritham – Peacock dance
3.     Ammandudam and Velakali – celebrate ancient warfare
4.     Ottanthullal – a satirical form of Kathakali usually with a single character played by an artiste in a green mask reciting the thullal dance songs.
5.     Panchavadyam – a temple art form of an orchestra of 5 musical instruments. 4 percussion instruments of timila, maddalam, ilathalam, idakka and the wind instrument kombu

Getting There

·      Bus is the best way as Parthasarathy temple is located near Adoor KSRTC bus stand
·      Chengannur railway station is the nearest rail head, about 25 km away.
·      Adoor is 92 km from Thiruvanthapuram airport

Sightseeing Nearby

·      The idyllic backwaters of Allapuzha (Allepey) and Kumarakom
·      Capital city of Thiruvanthapuram and Kovalam beach

    

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