Kerala tourism Guide

Kalpathi Ratholsavam is celebrated for 10 days and the rituals done during this festival is based on Tamil Brahmin Vedic culture with Vedas is chanted inside the temple throughout the festival by eminent Vedic scholars. The festival commences with flag hoisting or Dwajarohanam and devotees from far and nearby villages visit the Kalpathi Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple to attend the rituals and celebrations during this occasion. The Ratholsavam takes place on the last three days of the festival. On the first day of ratholsavam three chariots from Kalpathi Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple containing the deities of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvathy are decorated with flowers are drawn through the streets for the whole day. On the final day temple cars from Chathapuram temple and Old Kalpathi temple are also taken out in procession and all the cars after going around the village known as gramapradakshinam meets at a point called rathasangamam which is a spectacular site. All the chariots will be accompanied by the traditional festival music Panchavadyam. In the evening by sunset all the chariots return back to their respective temple where Abhishekam is performed and again the idols taken out in decorated palanquins in a procession at midnight and returns at dawn.