Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani: Alappuzha’s Grand Devi Festival
Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani illuminates the Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathy Temple near Mavelikara with a 10-day explosion of devotion during Kumbham (February-March), centered on Bharani nakshatra. Dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali, this post-harvest thanksgiving features Kuthiyottam child rituals and the towering Kettukazhcha effigies, drawing over 500,000 for its blend of artistry, music, and offerings rivaling Thrissur Pooram’s scale. The temple, over 1,200 years old, pulses with community feasts and processions expressing gratitude for bountiful yields and protection.
Ritual Highlights
Kuthiyottam begins weeks ahead as pre-pubescent boys train in intricate dances, body paint, and chants, symbolizing human sacrifice vows; on Bharani day, they parade in golden threads to chooralmuriyal head-shaving before the deity. Kettukazhcha sees 13 local hamlets erect 90-foot horse, chariot, Bhima, and Hanuman replicas from wood and fabric, dragged through fields amid panchavadyam and pamba melam to circle the temple under torchlight.
Cultural Fusion
Daily kuthiramootil kanji gruel feeds devotees, alongside cultural nights of kathakali, percussion, and trade fairs vending pickles to ornaments. Echoing Kadammanitta Padayani’s kolams and Kodungallur Bharani’s intensity, it fuses Onattukara traditions into a visual feast, with the goddess’s idol visiting effigies in paddy fields