Kanyakumari – Festivals
Mandaikadu Festival:
The Mandaikadu festival is celebrated in March by people of the district
and by those in Kerala. Traditionally, participants would chant while walking
and other people would provide them with butter, milk, water, jaggery, and coffee. The festival, which is celebrated for ten
days, later became a social function, especially on Sunday. In 1982 there
were police shootings to quell a disturbance by anti-social religious
radicals. Today, Mandaikadu is more of a departmental festival.
Navarathri Pooja Celebrations:
During
Navarathri Pooja, Annai Adi Parasakthi (the divine mother of Lord Muruga) leave
Suchindram temple and perform a yatra in Pallakku to Trivandrum, the
headquarters of the Kerala State, to participate in the Navarathri Pooja
celebrations at the Devi Koil in the vicinity of the Trivandrum Palace. Lord
Muruga from Kumarakoil also accompany Annai in a procession, riding a horse.
This practice has been in vogue since 1840 when the rulers of the erstwhile Travancore
Samasthanam (province) changed their headquarters from Padmanabhapuram in
Thuckalay to Trivandrum. This practice exemplifies the strong connection
between the erstwhile Malai Nattu (Kerala) rulers and Kumarakoil.
Kootalmoodu Festival:
The
Kootalmoodu festival is celebrated for ten days. In the 10th day festival ends
with grand fireworks "Vana Vedikkai" which starts in mid-night and
ends at early morning.
Shivalaya Ottam:
The
great Shivarathri festival is famous in this district. The devotees run to 12
Shiva temples situated in all around district. This ceremony is called Shivalaya
Ottam, meaning 'the run to Shiva
Temples'. This ceremony starts on the day before Shivarathri by taking a
darshan at Thirumalai Shiva Temple in Munchirai and ends on the next day by taking a darshan at
Thirunattalam Shiva Temple. It is noted that though the devotees are going to
Shiva temples, they chant Vaishnava names 'Govinda Gopala'. According to the
beliefs, it is establishing that Shiva and Vishnu are both one and the same.
Ayya Vaikunda Avatharam:
The Ayya Vaikunda Avatharam, is widely celebrated throughout the district. The Kodiyettru Thirunal is celebrated in the religious headquarters of Swamithope
Pathi and attracts large
crowds from Tamil Nadu and across India.
Christmas:
Christmas is also celebrated in Kanyakumari due to the large
number of Christians. On the eve of Christmas, carol services visit the
families and sing songs all night. The carol services usually travel in
decorated trucks.
New Year:
New
Year is celebrated with Vana Vedikkai (fireworks)
and local games such as Valukku Panai (slippery palm), a game in
which a person has to climb an Areca palm that is flooded with oil.
Other Festivals:
Festivals
are held in all the taluks in connection with various celebrations in the
temples, mosques and churches. The Rathotsavam (Chariot festival) at
Suchindram attracts huge crowd in the month of January. The Kodai festival in
the month of March in the Mandaikadu temple in the Kalkulam Taluk gets a large
gathering. The Thirukalyana Utsavam in the Kumaracoil temple in the Kalkulam
taluk in the month of March - April is observed as an important festival.
Pongal in January and Deepavali in November are also occasions for festivity
and rejoicing among the Hindu Communities. The Malayalis celebrate Onam in
August - September with feasts and sports. Muslims in all the taluks
observe Muharram and Ramzan. In the St. Xavier's Church at Kottar, as annual
festival in the month of December is usually celebrated on a grand scale and
attracts Catholics from all over South India.