Vellayani Devi Temple

Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam is the major festival of this temple. This is the longest non pilgrimage festival of all the festivals celebrated in India. This 50 day long festival is celebrated once in every three years. Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam literally means the festival to sumptuously feed the Goddess. This festival is very special and it attracts thousands of devotees from all over the country. The second most important festival is the Kalamkaval. During this festival, the priest carries the main idol on his head and performs a dance until he is unconscious. People believe that the Goddess gives strength to the Priest to carry the idol and dance. Other festivals of this temple include Karadikottu, Uchabali, Paranettu, Nilathilporu, Aaraattu and Pongala.

Karadikottu

Karadikottu is the first custom associated with the festival which is performed with a special drum. The artist is locally known as Panan.

Kalamkaval

Kalamkaval is a famous custom practiced in the temple premises and surrounding places during the festival. Goddess Bhadrakali is believed to search all directions for her enemy demon, Daaruka, before killing him. Devotees commemorate this legend by seeing this unique Kalamkaval. Kalamkaval is a ritual in which the head priest carries an idol on his head and performs some trance like dance until he is unconscious. During the kalamkaval, the head priest wears anklet and thiruvabharam (traditional gold ornaments of the goddess which include kappa, vanki, odyanam, paalakka mala, pichi mottu mala, muthu mala etc.). All the people believe that the priest gets the strength to continue the trance with the idol on his head due to the blessings of the Devi enshrined in the temple.

Nagaroottu

Nagaroottu is a custom performed (before “Uchabali”) to satisfy a Naga.

Uchabali

Uchabali is another custom performed during the festival. About sixty four gestures are used for the performance as in Kadhakali. Mathsyam, sampannam, chathurasramam, sarppamudra and jyothimudra are some of the main gestures used. A beautiful crown built from a coconut palm is fixed at the Uchabali site. Uchabali is performed during midnight.

Paranettu

It is believed that a fight broke out in the sky between Devi and the demon Darikan. The fight takes place on a specially constructed stage, about 100 feet high, and is fought at night known as Paranettu.

Nilathilporu

Nilathilporu which marks the conclusion of the Kaaliyoottu festival at the Vellayani Devi Temple. During the climax of this ceremony, the demon Daarika (the man with the symbolic crown in the foreground) cries and begs the goddess for mercy. Subsequently, the goddess beheads the demon.

Aaraattu

The festival, Kaliyoottu, ended with a grand procession knows as Aaraattu. During Aaraattu the Idol is cleaned using water collected from 101 pots. Aaraattu is conducted at vellayani lake. A girl from the priest family below ten years of age, along with chief priest performs the function.

Pongal or Pongala

Pongala Festival at Vellayani Devi Temple is celebrated during the Malayalam month of Meenam on the Aswathy Nakshatram (Aswini Nakshatra). Pongala is the rice cooked with jaggery, ghee, coconut as well as other ingredients in the open in small pots by women to please the Goddess.

Madhu Pooja is the special pooja performed to the Goddess.

Info on the deity – Specific to the temple deity

The presiding deity of this temple is Goddess Bhadrakali. The idol is called as Thirumudi and is about 4.5 ft tall with ornaments of authentic gold and gems decked over it. The temple also houses the deities of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Lord Nagaraja.