The annual festival of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala Viswambhara Temple began on Monday.
A Nadaswara concert by Tiruvizha Jayasankar and Haripad Murukadas stole the show on the first day of the festival, popularly called Kottakkal Pooram. Alappuzha Karuna Moorthy and Kavalam Sreekumar provided accompaniment on special tavil.
The week-long festival of the Viswambhara temple, known for its communal togetherness, will bring people of all religions from Kottakkal and neighbouring places to the courtyards of Kailasa Mandiram, headquarters of the arya vaidya sala.
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“Anyone, irrespective of religion, will have access to the sanctum sanctorum of the Viswambhara temple. That is the uniqueness of this temple,” said M.T. Ramakrishnan, public relations manager of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala.
Odissi performance
An Odissi performance by Dilip Tambe and Ketaki Tambe, Kallur Ramankutty Marar’s Thayambaka, and a Kathakali performance marked the second day on Tuesday.
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Apart from Ottanthullal and Chakyarkoothu, a Thayambaka display by Porur Unnikrishnan will be held on Wednesday.
A Veena concert by Jayanti Kumaresh will be the attraction on Thursday.
On Friday, vocalist Ramakrishnan Moorthy, violinist M. Rajiv, mridangam artiste Sumesh Narayanan, and ghadam artiste Vazhapilli Krishnakumar will give a music concert.
A music concert by Ranjini and Gayatri will be the attraction on Saturday.
Mattannur Sankaran Kutty Marar will lead a Thayambaka on Sunday.