Festivals

Nileswar Poorakali is a traditional folk dance festival of Kasaragod, performed at temples during annual celebrations. Groups of artists dance in a circular formation with rhythmic steps and songs, symbolizing valor, devotion, and cultural unity.

Sarvajanika Ganeshotsavam is a public celebration of Lord Ganesha, observed with great devotion and enthusiasm. Community-installed idols, prayers, cultural programs, music, and festive processions bring people together, symbolizing unity, faith, and collective joy.

Vishu is the traditional New Year festival of Kerala, celebrated in mid-April (usually on April 14 or 15). It marks the beginning of the Malayalam month Medam and symbolizes new beginnings, prosperity, and hope. The most important ritual of Vishu is Vishukkani—an auspicious arrangement viewed at dawn. It includes gold ornaments, coins, rice, fruits, vegetables, flowers (especially kani konna), a mirror (valkannadi), and a lit lamp, believed to bring good fortune for the year ahead. Elders give Vishukkaineettam (money) to younger family members as a blessing.

Onam is the most important and widely celebrated festival of Kerala, marking the annual harvest season and commemorating the legendary return of King Mahabali. Celebrated during the Malayalam month of Chingam (August–September), Onam is a symbol of prosperity, unity, and cultural pride. The festival is famous for its vibrant traditions such as Pookalam (floral rangoli), the grand Onasadya (traditional vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf), Vallam Kali (snake boat races), Pulikali (tiger dance), and classical art forms like Thiruvathira and Kathakali. Homes and public spaces are decorated, people wear traditional attire, and celebrations continue for ten days, culminating on Thiruvonam, the main day of the festival.

Theyyam is a traditional ritual dance festival from northern Kerala, especially the Kannur and Kasaragod regions. It is one of the oldest sacred art forms in India, blending mythology, music, dance, and devotion into a powerful cultural spectacle. During Theyyam festivals, performers undergo elaborate preparation, donning vibrant costumes, dramatic face paint, and towering headgear that represent deities, ancestral spirits, and mythological figures. The dancer is believed to embody the divine presence, offering blessings and protection to devotees.

Kalamkanippu Mahotsavam is a unique traditional festival celebrated at the Palakkunnu Sree Bhagavathy Temple in Kasaragod district, Kerala. The three-day festival is held twice annually during the Malayalam months of Dhanu and Makaram and draws devotees and visitors from the region. The highlight of the celebration is its similarity to the famous Pongala ritual of Attukal Temple, where thousands of women devotees bring offerings—such as rice, jaggery, coconut, and rice powder—in new pots to prepare special offerings for the Goddess Bhagavathi. These offerings are prepared within the temple grounds by trained priests and are later presented to the deity. After the ritual, the prasadam (blessed food) is returned to the devotees in the same pots.