Sree Porittikkavu Devi Temple, located at Ambattubhagam in Pathanamthitta, annually celebrates the padayani festival in the Malayalam months of Kumbham and Meenam. The festival begins on Kumbha Rohini and ends on Meena Rohini day.
The padayani at Porittikkavu is celebrated by the people of six kara (region) in two groups. As it is a celebration of people of two groups, each ritual is repeated like there will be two Adavi and Valiya Padayani rituals. The two groups at Porittikkavu are the regions of Ambattubhagam, Vennikulam and Kavungum Prayar forms one group and the other group is the Thuruthikkadu, Valangara and Cherukappoor regions.
The festival here begins with the ritual of Sadhipu on Rohini asterism in the Malayalam month of Kumbham. The ritual of Chootuvaipu is held on the twelfth day and from the seventeenth day onwards kolam performance begins. Ganapathy Kolam is the first to come and is followed by the Ganapathy Kolam performance of the other group on the next day.
The first group’s Adavi is held on Pururuttathi asterism which falls on the 21st day and on Uthrattathi, Adavi of the other group. The kolams and rituals on the Adavi at Porittikkavu are Bhairavi, Marutha, Yakshi, Pakshi, Kaalamadan kolams, Pallippana, Mara Adavi and Pooppada.
Valiya Padayani is celebrated on the last two days. The rituals of Valiya Padayani begins with Kalathil Kappoli and Bhattaminukku and is then followed by the performance of kolams like Bhairavi, Paradeshi, Anthara Yakshi, Marutha, Vinodam, Pakshi, Kaalan Kolam, Kootta Yakshi, Kootta Marutha and Mangala Bhairavi.
