KOTTIYOOR FESTIVAL
AT
KANNUR
Kottiyoor is a famous Hindu pilgrim
center devoted to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The proper name of the temple
here is Sri Kottiyoor Mahadeva Kshetram.
Kottiyoor
temple is
located near Kelakam in Kannur district of the southern state Kerala. Sri
Kottiyoor temple is also known as the "Dakshina Kashi" or
"Varanasi of the South" and attracts lakhs of devotees every year
during the "Vaisakha Maholsavam"
celebrations.
The
Kottiyoor festival is unique as it involves two temples - Akkare Kottiyoor and
Ikkare Kottiyoor, on the opposite banks of River Bavali. Situated in Kannur
district, the annual 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.
The Vaisakha
Maholsavam celebrations begin with the ritual of bringing a sword from
Muthirerikavu from Wayanad. On the following day, on Visakham star Bhandaram
Ezhunnallath ritual is held.
Gold, Silver
vessels, heavenly ornaments etc are brought from nearby Manathana village to
Kottiyoor.
An important ritual during the festival is
the 'Elaneer Vayppu' or submitting tender coconuts before the swayambhu Shiva
linga.
On this special
day, thousands of tender coconuts carried from different parts of Malabar by the
devotees are submitted. The following day, the main priest of the temple, pours
the collected coconut water on to the idol which is known as 'Elaneeraattam'.
Rohini Aaradhana is a very important ritual
which is not seen in any other temple. The priest embraces the swayambhu Shiva
linga as part of the ritual.
The belief behind
this ritual is that Brahma himself worships Lord Shiva to pacify for the loss
of Sati.
Kottiyoor
is also known by the names Kudiyoor, Dakshina Kashi. Thricherumana,
Vdakkumkaavu, Kizhakkumkaavu and Vadakeeswaram.
By
Air
The
nearest airport is at Karipur, Kozhikode which is about 93km south. The Mangalore
airport is 170kms north of Kannur.
By
Train
Kannur
is an important railhead of the Southern Railways and the major railway station
on Shornur-Mangalore line. There are trains from Mumbai, Goa, Mangaloe, Madras,
Trivandrum, Kochi, Kozhikode and Coimbatore. All major trains going North
through the Konkan and beyond stop at Kannur.
By
Road
Kannur
is 155kms south of Mangalore and 535 kms north of Thiruvanathapuram. An excellent
road transport system connects the town to all the major towns of south india. There
are frequent bus services from Mangalore,. Bangalore, Kochi, Trivandrum and Kozhikode.
