Vela at Palluruthy and Chertalai Festival of Kerala

Name of Festival : Vela at Palluruthy and Chertalai

Time of celebration (Month)
This Festival is celebrated in month of Meenam (March – April ) and day of the Pooram asterism

Major Territory of Celebration
The festival of is celebrated in Kerala state of India

About Festival
In Cochin there is a temple of Bhagavati at Palluruthi just a couple of miles to the south of Mattanchery . Here Bharani is celebrated and it is called Vela .

In month of Meenam and day of the Pooram asterism there is a same celebration of Chertalay.In celebration of Palluruthi and at Chertalay huge figures worked in wicker and painted and tinsel drapery to represent the Pandava brother and the stories and incidents of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana are constructed and placed in front of the temple. During night people lighting and placed on men’s shoulders or are dragged on huge wheels round the temple.

There is the vela or padayani in which the devotees carry torches by night and advance towards the temple with fifes playing ,drums beating and with shouts. Similar event is also arranged by the oppsite party and come face to face at the temple. Pop guns are fired, rockets let off and other fire works exhibited. That is the ends of this free fight between the opposing party.

In celebration of Bharani and Pooram all the castes are allowed to approach the temple, but they get no admission into it.