Religious fervour and gaiety marked the Kumbha Bharani festival at the Chettikulangara Devi temple, near Mavelikara, on Saturday.
A large number of devotees from across the State and outside turned up at Chettikulangara to have a glimpse of the ‘kuthiyottam' performance and ‘kettukazhcha’ pageant.
Festive mood
The rituals and pujas that commenced on Sivaratri reached their crescendo on the festival day with all 13 ‘karas’ (provinces) that are part of the temple joined in a festive mood.
Boys aged between 8 and 12 performed kuthiyottam in the presence of devotees in the morning.
Kettukazhcha
Gigantic temple cars known as ‘kuthira’ (horse motifs), ‘theru’ (chariots) and mammoth idols of Bheema and Hanuman, were drawn to the temple from the 13 ‘karas’ — Erezha South, Erezha North, Kaitha South, Kaitha North, Kannamangalam South, Kannamangalam North, Pela, Kadavoor, Anjilipra, Mattom North, Mattom South, Menampilly and Nadakkavu.
After completing a round at the temple, the kettukazhchas were later moved to the nearby field Kazhchakandom.
