What makes life in this cozy land even more eventful and vivid are the bright festivals and the celebrations. Some of these are so well known that it attracts tourists from different parts of the globe. Many of the religious festivals are also now being celebrated in all households and attended by all people, irrespective of their faith.

Onam

Onam is the most famous festival of Kerala. All Malayalees irrespective of their faith celebrate it. The Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug-Sept) is a period of great enthusiasm and activity.

The festival celebrates two things. It is the harvest festival of Kerala. It is also celebrated to welcome Mahabali, a generous king who once ruled Kerala. The peace and prosperity that prevailed during the reign of Mahabali made the Devas envious. These celestial beings approached Lord Vishnu for help. The lord who appeared before Mahabali in the form of a dwarf, Vamana, asked him for 3 feet of land. When Vamana covered the earth and the heaven in two feet, Mahabali offered his head for the third. He was then pushed to the nether world. His last wish, which was to visit his subjects, was granted. Onam is the time when the good King visits his people.

The festival is celebrated on a grand scale as a tourist week as well. Beautiful flower carpets adorn courtyards of houses. Children fly kites. People wear new dresses. Women and children play on swings. Men sit down for a game of cards or a round of social drinking. The rivers become venues of boat races. With a grand feast the 10-day festival reaches a crescendo on the Thiruvonam day.

Vishu

Vishu marks the beginning of a fresh year. Celebrated on the first day of the Malayalam month Medam (Aries), Vishu is believed to be the best time to begin new ventures. Many items ranging from brightly lit lamps to fresh fruits and flowers to different grains and gold coins are neatly arranged to form Vishukkani at early dawn. This is an auspicious sight. Adults find their way to the place where the Kani is arranged and open their eyes. Children are also led with their eyes shut to begin the New Year with a blessed vision. Elders of the family give their blessings and some money to the younger members of the family. There is also a grand feast. The fireworks during the season make it a popular festival with the children.

Deepavali

Deepavali or Diwali as it is popularly called, literally translates as the festival of lights. It is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, and that of the victory of good over evil. In Kerala, it is popular among the North Indian communities that live here. Households and courtyards are a brilliant sight with small earthen lamps all over the place. Many tasty sweets are prepared and crackers are fired.

Christmas

Christmas is celebrated splendidly in all parts of the state, especially in central and south Kerala. People are in a merry mood days before 25th -of December. Christmas Star, trees and cards and the crib adorn many homes. In the evenings there would be large processions that visit every home singing carols and spreading the good news and cheer of Christmas. Friends and neighbours are received in Christian homes with cakes and a variety of dainty dishes. The festivities last till the New Year. In some communities, 7th January the old Eastern Orthodox Christmas day marks the culmination of festivities.

Sivarathri Festival at Aluva Manappuram

This is a famous festival celebrated in the month of Kumbam (Feb- Mar) in connection with the Mahasivarathri. The grandiosity of the festival has earned it a place as important as the Kumbamela at Prayag. Special poojas (prayers and offerings) and abhishekams (bathing of the idols) are carried out in the temple to commemorate the day that Lord Shiva consumed the deadly poison to save the world. Various cultural programmes are held in Alwaye, on the banks of the Periyar. People from different parts of the state and belonging to different religions gather here.

Maramon Convention

This is a great and very well known Christian convention. The convention held on the banks of the river Pamba, is attended by almost all categories of Christians in the state and hence speaks of the co-operation and fraternity among different denominations of the Church in Kerala. The convention is usually held in the month of February.

Boat races

The Annual boat races in different parts of the state are brilliant competitions that attract viewers from far and wide. It is also nothing less than a celebration or festival. In every sense they are national aquatic festivals in Kerala, the land of several lakes and backwaters. Decorated boats carrying about 150 oars men and 3-4 helmsmen showcase brilliant performance. The atmosphere echoes with special songs called vanchippattu. Most famous among the races are the ones held at Aranmula, Champakkulam and the Nehru Trophy boat race at Alappuzha. Boat races at Thalavady in Alappuzha, Kumarakom, Mannar, Aranmula and Thiruvandoor near Chengannur are also quite popular.

Ochirakali

This is the famous festival of martial arts held at Ochira. The event is held in mid June. There is a spectacular display of Kerala' s very own martial art, kalarippayattu. Equally famous is another martial arts festival that is celebrated in November/December for about twelve days. The celebrations are called Panthrandu Vilakku (twelve lamp festival).

Thiruvathira

Celebrated in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December-January), the festival is a kind of worship offered to Lord Siva. Thiruvathira asterism in the month is considered the birthday of Lord Siva. It is also believed it commemorates the death of Kamadeva, the mythological God of love.

Women folk render special songs, dance performances (Thiruvathirakkali and Kolkkali), Oonjalattom, swinging on an oonjal (swing). They also observe special diet and keep vigil through the night for Siva. A festival exclusively for womenfolk, there is hardly any festival like this observed in the India society.

Sree Narayana Jayanthi at Sivagiri mutt

Sivagiri mutt is one of the famous pilgrim spots for those who believe in and follow Sree Narayana Guru, the saintly and scholarly social reformer. Sree Narayana Jayanthi celebrated in August every year commemorates the Guru's birthday. Colourful processions, seminars, public meetings, cultural shows, community feasts and special rituals make the day an eventful one. Seminars and discussions on various themes are also held.

The Samadhi day of the Guru is observed in September with prayers and memorial lectures.

Sankaracharya Jayanthy at Kalady

Kaladi is the birthplace of another philosopher-saint of Kerala, Sri Adi Sankaracharya. It has now become an important pilgrim centre that attracts a lot of visitors, especially during the 5 day (April/May) celebration, Sankara Jayanthi, held to mark his birthday. The day is marked by grand celebration including several religious rites.

The Village Fair

The village fair held from 14 to 23 January every year features recreated traditional houses, attire, food, crafts, etc.

Nishagandhi Dance Festival

This is one of the most popular dance festivals of the state. Talented and graceful dancers from all over Kerala and even outside the state, gather at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds to showcase a week of fabulous performance. The open-air theatre here bears witness to this brilliant show every year. Even renowned dancers consider it an honour to be able to perform at the NIshagandhi festival. Fabulous shows of Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kathak, Odissi, modern ballet and other folk genre are presented here.

Place: Thiruvananthapuram Venue: Nishagandhi Theatre, Kanakakunnu palace.
Date: From February 21st to 27nth

Mahanavami - Dance & Music Festival

This is a famous dance and music festival held at Thiruvananthapuram. It is called the Navarathri Mandapam Concert series. The festival lasts for 9 days, with the grand finale on the Mahanavami day. The festival is for artists to pay respect to Goddess Saraswathi (the deity of all learning and the arts), Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth) and Durga (the embodiment of courage and power).

Kolkali

Kolkali is a folk art performed in Kerala a small state in south India. The dance performers move in a circle, striking small sticks and keeping rhythm with special steps. The circle expands and contracts as the dance progress. The accompanying music gradually rises in pitch and the dance reaches its climax.

Many of the traditional performing art forms of Kerala like Kathakali, Kolkali, Velakali, and Thacholikali have drawn elements from Kalarippayatt during their stages of evolution. Kathakali has borrowed much from Kalarippayattu in its basic body preparative training of the actor not only in terms of technique in practice but also from the body massage for the trainee. Many of the body postures, choreography and foot work of the Kolkali characters are taken directly from Kalarippayattu.

Mohiniaattam

Mohiniaattam (also spelled as mohiniattom or mohiniyattam; Malayalam: മോഹിനിയാട്ടം, Sanskrit: मोहिनी आटम्) is a traditional South Indian dance form from Kerala, India. It is a very graceful dance meant to be performed as a solo recital by women. The term Mohiniattam comes from the words "Mohini" meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and "aattam" meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word "Mohiniattam" literally means "dance of the enchantress". There are two stories of the Lord Vishnu disguised as a Mohini. In one, he appears as Mohini to lure the asuras (demons) away from the amrita (nectar of immortality) obtained during the churning of the palazhi or Ocean of Milk. In the second story Vishnu appears as Mohini to save Lord Shiva from the demon Bhasmasura. The name Mohiniaattam may have been coined after Lord Vishnu, and the main theme of the dance is love and devotion to God, with usually Vishnu or Krishna being the hero. Devadasis used to perform this in temples. Vallathol the great poet said that Mohiniattom was simplified form of Bharathanatyam. But it also has elements of Koothu and Kottiyattom in it. According to Rajashree Varier, a renouned Mohiniattom artist. it is a drama in dance and verse. She said so in an interviw published in Soorya Festival News published by Soorya Krishnamoorthy.

The dance which has influences and elements from two South Indian dance forms, the Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, was formulated in the court of king Swati Tirunal by Vadivelu, one of the Thanjavur Quartet. The dance involves the swaying of broad hips and the gentle movements of erect torso from side to side. This is reminiscent of the swinging of the palm leaves and the gently flowing rivers which abound Kerala, the land of Mohiniattam. There are approximately 40 different basic movements, known as 'atavukal', in Mohiniyattam.

The costume includes white sari embroidered with bright golden brocade (known as kasavu at the edges. The dance follows the classical text of Hastha Lakshanadeepika, which has elaborate description of Mudras (gestural expressions by the hand palm and fingers).

Mohiniaattam performer

The vocal music of Mohiniattam involves variations in rhythmic structure known as chollu. The lyrics are in Manipravala, a mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam. The mohiniattam dance is performed to this accompaniment by the subtle gestures and footwork of the danseuse. The performer uses the eyes in a very coy yet sensual manner, the purpose being to enchant the mind without enticing the senses. Only beautiful women should play mohini. Kavi said Sundara naree thanu tharalitha jaghana Spanditha deshe mughdam mohitham aashu

Panchavadyam

Panchavadyam is a classic performance of different musical instruments that are unique to Kerala state of south India, where five instruments are involved in a breathtaking-fastmoving percussion performance (Pancha in Sanskrit means five). The five instruments are Timila, Shudha Madhalam, Kombu, Edakka & Elathalam, Timila, Shudha Madhalam and Edakka are different types of drums. The Elathalam is a cymbal and the Kombu is a type of trumpet. Earlier, different instruments were used in Panchavadyam, but Thiruvilwamala Venkichan Swamy, Annamanada Peethambara Marar, Annamanada Achutha Marar, Annamanada Parameswara Marar and Pattarath SanKara Marar evolved the modern-day Panchavadyam with these five instruments and evolved a new structure.

Panchavadyam is performed during the festivals of the Temples in Kerala, mainly in Central Kerala. The most famous performance is that during the Thrissur Pooram, known as the "Madathil Varavu" Panchavadyam. It is performed by the Thiruvambadi Temple camp.