Festival in Kochi

Attachamayam

Celebrated to commemorate the legendary victory of the Raja of Kochi, the festival of Attachamayam is held on the eighth day of the Malayalam month of Chingam, which usually falls in August or September at the historical town of Tripunithura, near Kochi. A grand procession is taken out on this occasion, which is full of pomp and show, colors abound the pageantry, replete with caparisoned elephants, varieties of folk art forms, floats and other musical ensemble.

Some believe that this spectacular procession is to mark the beginning of the Onam Festival, the festival of peace and equity. However, ther are others who believe that the Maharaja of Kochi took the Athachamayam march from Tripunithura, once capital of the Cochin estate to the Vamana temple of Thrikkakara as a military adventure or at least to show off his royal splendor and glory. With the end of the era of kings and monarchs, the tradition had died out, only to be revived again in the 1960's. Also known as Athagosham, this weeklong festival now attracts many tourists from India and abroad to Tripunithuta with its highlights being ancient and modern art forms such as folk dances, competitions and other entertainment programs.

Onam Festival

The Harvest Festival of Kerala, is one of the most popular one too. The harvest festival is the most popular festival of Kerala. The legend behind the festival goes back to the golden reign of the great, kind and mighty demon king Mahabali. This demon won over the kingdom of gods in war and Vishnu came to their aid. Lord Vishnu then disguised himself as a small Brahmin boy, Vamanan, and asked for three steps of land. The wish was granted and Vamanan then assumed the huge size and covered the whole land with his two steps and then asked the King for the place where he could put his third step.

The king to honor his word offered his head as the third step and Vamanan pushed Mahabali into the abyss. However, he granted him a wish that he could he could visit his kingdom and people on a particular day once a year, the day which usually falls in the ten-day festivity of this harvest season. A floral carpet called "Athappookkalam" in front of houses, Carnivals, Boat Races, Dance, Music and Feast consisting of a the traditional sweet dish of Kerala 'Payasam' on plantain leaf characterize Onam.

Cochin Carnival

Held annually in the last week of the year in Fort Kochi, this merry making feast is observed to welcome the New Year. Dating back to the times of Portuguese during the colonial days, it has evolved with time as a party time for the young hearts with its unique games, competitions and illumination. However, the highlight of the Carnival remains the huge procession on the New Year Day, complete with a caparisoned elephant leading it, drums and music, spectacular floats, myriad folk art forms, Panchavadyam and even North Indian dances.

Starting since Solidarity Day on December 22, it is a ten-day long festival and is usually ended by a flag-off in dignified silence to pay tribute to the brave martyrs who died while fighting for their motherland. It was revived in 1984, and has now gained immense popularity and all the activities organized during the Carnival are centred around its five main slogans, namely, Participation, Peace, Progress, Adventure and Environment. Besides the adventure sports like Beach Bike Race and Sea Swimming, there are Beach Football, Beach Volleyball, Shuttle Badminton and Ball Badminton Tournaments are organized during the course of the festival.

Indira Gandhi Boat Race

The boat races of Kerala are very famous. Many boat races are organized throughout the year in the state of Kerala. Kuttanad and the upper Kuttanad area are just one of the most famous boat racing spots. Since most of the natives of Kerala are agriculturists and fishermen by profession, boat races help to unwind them and show off their graceful and muscular physique as they work with each other as a team to win the race. Both the oarsmen and boats are selected carefully irrespective of their caste, creed or classes, merely, on the basis of their performances. Thus, a communal harmony is promoted through such events and a bond of union binds all the classes as one.

The rolling backwaters of Kochi are very invitiong and thus a grand gala is held here in the last week of December as a final touch to its spectacular Tourism Fair. Cheering crowds, zest and festivity abound when the sixteen majestic snake boats race neck to neck in gaiety, each vying for the coveted trophy of the race, which was instituted in memory of Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India.

Jewish Festivals

It is believed that the Jews of Kerala migrated here in the 1st after the second temple of Jerusalem was destroyed in 72 AD. The Jewish community settled mainly in and around Mattancherry, Kochi and brought with them the Jewish customs and festivals. The Passover Festival is celebrated annually to commemorate the liberation of Jews from Egyptian slavery followed by the Pentecost Festival and the feast of the Tabernacles. Then, there are their New Year celebration in September or October and Hanukka, the 'festival of lights' too.

Passover or Pesach festival is celebrated by the Jews in March or April as possibly sprung up as a Spring festival originally until it became related with the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Pentecost is usually celebrated on the fiftieth day of the Passover ans was originally an Old Testament festival related to agriculture and was celebrated in order to welcome the Spring. However, in the early New Testament period, it somehow became associated with the celebration of God's creation of His people and his gracious gift of the law on Mount Sinai. Feast of Tabernacles is one of the oldest festivals of the Jews. It is known as the Feast of Ingathering in the Bible and in Hebrew, it is known as Sukkoth. Similarly, Hanukkah is the jewish Feast of Dedication.

Malayatoor Perunal

A feast is held at the famous Catholic Church at Malayatoor on the Sunday after Easter to commemorate the visit of the great apostle, St. Thomas. About 52 km from Kochi, atop the hill, the church is dedicated to him and it is believed that he came to India in the first century A.D and visited Malayattoor twice. Pilgrims of all faiths visit the place chanting the name of the Apostle.

The church is set about 2000 feet high and the grand feast that is organized on this day as a part of the celebration is called the 'Perunnal'. This feast is usually organized in March or April. One can safelt say that the name of the festival is a combination of the name of the place, where it is held and the word 'feast' itself in the native language.