The Padayani festival of Othera Puthukulangara Devi Temple begins on the Chathayam asterisk in the Malayalam month of Meenam and ends on the Thiruvathira asterisk in the Malayalam month of Meenam. The rituals at Othera begin with the making of flagstaff for the festival known as Adavi Kolluka (being with the forest).
Chootu Padayani is the next ritual here which last for first eighteen days. A lamp lit by the temple priest is used to light the Chootu.
The kolam performance at Othera come to the Padayani ground from the nineteenth day onwards. Pancha Kolam is the first to perform and is performed for the next three days. Kolams of Sundara Yakshi and Bhairavi join the Pancha Kolam on the second day. On the third-day kolam performance of Kalayakshi and Bhairavi will take place along with Pancha Kolam.
The prime day of the festival falls on the last day - Valiya Padayani. On this day people from the other region visit the temple with various offerings to the kolams. They are welcomed by the temple authorities and the people of the village by giving them betel leaves and tobacco. Once they came, the Padayani performance begins the drumming of Thappu and followed by the Pula dance and Thavadi. Finally on stage at Othera comes the pageantry of all the Kolams.
Meanwhile, various comic interludes like Paradeshi and Kakkarissi are performed. Besides Bhairavi, the giant kolam performed at Othera is the Chattathel Kolam. Accompanied by Chenda beats, this kolam is welcomed by the devotees with fireworks. Chattathel Kolam has huge headgear and is made using 1,001 sheaths of arcenut and is pulled around the temple on handcarts and displayed in the temple compound thereafter. It's the only temple in the Kerala which performs a kolam made of 1001 areca sheaths.
Early morning, Pooppada is conducted and the Padayani festival ends with the auspicious Mangala Kolam dance.
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