Events & Festivals
President's Trophy Boat Race
Inaugurated by former President, Dr. Prathibha Devi Singh Patil, on 30th August 2011, the President's Trophy Boat Race is held annually on Kerala Piravi Day (1st November) each year. Held at the Ashtammudi Lake, the event is one that transforms the serene backwaters into a track on fire.
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Kollam Pooram
On the eve of the Vishu festival each year, the Ashramam Maidan in Kollam filled with thousands of enthusiasts who have gathered to witness the colourful Kollam Pooram. This pooram marks the end of the annual 10-day festival of the Asramam Sree Krishna Swamy Temple which is held in connection with the annual Vishu festival.
Malanada Kettukazha Temple
Malanada Duryodhana Temple at Poruvazhi in Kollam is noted for the magnificent kettukazcha festival known as Malanada Kettukazhcha. This annual festival attracts people for its fascinating sight of huge decorated structures, about 70 to 80 ft high. The temple is dedicated to Duryodhana, the antagonist in the Indian epic - Mahabharata.
Panmana Pooram
The Panmana Pooram at the Subrahmanya Temple is one which attracts crowds each year. Travellers travelling via the T. S. Canal make it a point to stop over at the temple during festival days. With around 50 elephants participating, the festival in itself is a sight to behold.
Paripally Kodimoottil Gajamela
The Paripally Kodimoottil Gajamela with a procession comprising about 50 caparisoned elephants with high tinseled silk parasols (muthukuda) swaying white tufts (venchamaram) and peacock feather fans (aalavattom), attracts hundreds of people to Kodimoottil Bhagavathy Temple at Parippally in Kollam District during the month of March. The Gajamela is a part of the annual festival at the Kodimoottil Sree Bhagavathy Temple dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali. The word gajamela in Malayalam literally means festival of elephants. The get-together of the elephants takes place on the last day of the ten-day festival.
Perumon Theru
One of the ancient Sree Bhadrakali temples in Kollam celebrates a 3 day festival each year. Renowned as the Therukettu Mahotsavam, the festival takes place at the Sree Bhadrakali Temple located in Perumon village on the banks of the Ashtamudi Lake. It is the only temple that makes chariots each year for the ratholsavam after the Palakkad Kalpathy chariot racing in Kerala.
Ochirakali Festival
Renowned as 'DakshinaKasi' or the 'Kasi of the South', Ochira is situated 32km north of Kollam and 3km before Kayamkulam. The Ochirakali held in June and the Pandrandu Vilakku Mahotsavam in November-December are crowd drawing festivals. Ochira still retains the tradition of kavus making is all the more historically important for Kerala.
Thrikkadavoor Temple Festival
One of the ancient temples located in Kollam, The Thrikkadavoor Sree Mahadeva Temple enjoys the status of being the most prominent and famous of Shiva temples in the district. The temple located in Thrikkadavoor, a small town located on the banks of the Ashtamudi backwater, is famous for its annual ten day festival which is attended by hordes of people. The 'Kettukazhcha', one of the highlights of the festival is a huge tower like structure decked up in brilliant colours. Borne by devotees to the temple as an offering to the deity, it is a sight to behold and thousands join in to witness the spectacle.