The Kumbha Bharani festival at the Chettikulangara Devi temple, near Mavelikara, will be held on Thursday. The rituals and pujas that began on Shivaratri will reach its crescendo on the festival day with Kuthiyottam performances and the Kettukazcha pageant.
Thousands of people from various parts of the State are expected to assemble at Chettikulangara to participate in the festival, billed as one of the biggest events in the region.
The Chettikulangara temple has the Goddess Bhadrakali as the main deity and is believed to be over 1,200 years old. All the 13 ‘karas’ (provinces) that are part of the temple have been in a festive mood. People who offered ‘Kuthiyottam’ performances to the deity have trained boys aged between 8 and 12 on the dancing steps of Kuthiyottam. The Kuthiyottam procession will reach the Temple on Thursday at 6 a.m.
Kettukazhcha, which displays six gigantic temple cars known as ‘kuthira’ (horse motifs), five ‘theru’ (chariots) and mammoth idols of Bheema and Hanuman will be drawn to the temple from the 13 ‘karas’ at 4 p.m. After completing a round at the temple, the Kettukazhchas will be moved to a nearby field Kazhchakandom at 7.30 p.m.
Meanwhile, security has been strengthened in and around the temple. More than 1,000 police personnel will be deployed on the festival day. 50 surveillance cameras will also be installed on the roads and temple premises. The police have opened a control room at the temple auditorium along with a temporary watchtower at Kazhchakandom. Traffic will be regulated.
The KSRTC will operate special services from Mavelikara, Kayamkulam, Karunagappally, Thiruvalla, and Alappuzha depots, officials said.
District Collector T.V. Anupama has declared a local holiday in Mavelikara and Karthikapally taluks in connection with the Bharani on Thursday. Educational institutions and government offices will remain closed.
