Guruvayoor is one the most important pilgrim centre in Kerala known as the Dwaraka of the South. The main attraction here is the Sree Krishna Temple considered to be 5000 years old. As per the belief this temple was built by The Guru who is the preceptor of Gods and Vayu the God of the wind.
Festival
Guruvayoor Utsavam
Way of excecution and activities Guruvayoor Utsavam
Guruvayur festival or Ultsavam takes place in the month of February/ March. The festival is conducted to restore the divine chaithanya of the deity and before the festival Brahmakalasam is done to purify and energize the power of the deity and at the end of these rituals the flag is hoisted heralding the start of the festival. The festival begins with handing over of koora and pavithram (cloth and ring made of Kusa grass) to the chief tantric. The festival starts with Aanayottam which attracts thousands of devotees and tourists from across the world followed by mulayidal or sowing of seeds. The kodiyettam or flag hoisting takes place during the night after mulayidal. During the festival the entire town gets dressed up with decorative arches, festoons, extravagant illuminations and every shrine and building is decorated with, plantain trunks, bunches of coconut and areca nuts. On the ninth day pallivetta takes place where the Lord on an elephants hunts Pannimanushams and kills them. The tenth day is the arratu procession which goes around the holy water tank Rudratheertham and abhisehekam is done using coconut water and the tantric takes a dip in the pond with the idol. The final event is the running circumambulation with the idol on an elephant.
Similar Festivals
- Ambalapuzha sree Krishna temple
- Aranmula Parthasarthy temple
- Lord Sree Rama Temple, Elavalli Kadavallur
