Kottiyoor Vaishaka Mahotsavam

Venue: Kottiyoor Temples (Akkare and Ikkare)

The festival at Kottiyoor in Kannur district involves two temples, situated on the opposite banks of River Bavali - Akkare Kottiyoor and Ikkare Kottiyoor. The annual Vaishaka Mahotsavam (Kottiyoor festival) is celebrated for twenty-eight days and it falls during the months of May and June. Here, the Neyyattam ritual on the first day and the Thirukalasattu ritual on the concluding day are attended by hundreds of devotees.

At the temple, known as Akkare Kottiyoor, the deity is believed to be a swayambhoo lingam (self-created idol of Lord Shiva). There is no formal structure of a temple as such here. The image is seated on a ground, formed by small heap of stones called manithara. The Akkare Kottiyoor temple remains open only during the festival days.