Athachamayam Festival at Tripunithura -Tripunithura in Ernakulam district of Kerala, also known as the temple town, is the land of royalty, having served as the capital of the erstwhile Cochin royal family comprising about a 1000 odd members now scattered in different parts of the country and abroad.Their stronghold was Kottakkakom in Tripunithura, referred to as Trippy by the localites. Kottakkakam houses some of the striking remnants of the royal times such as the historic Clock Tower, Hill Palace Museum, once the administrative centre of the Maharajas, which is now a research centre, and Kalikotta, the venue for cultural and literary events. Onam, the annual harvest festival of Kerala, features myriad cultural and social events across the state, cutting through all sections of people.The Athachamayam festival, celebrated exclusively in the royal town of Tripunithura, marks the true spirit of Onam, highlighting its religious and communal harmony. Tripunithura Athachamayam is a spectacular fete which marks the beginning of Onam celebrations in the Chingom month of the Malayalam calendar. This grand event features a dazzling ceremonial parade of caparisoned elephants, colourful floats, awesome folk art performances like Theyyam, Pulikkali and Kavadiyattam, classical dances like Kathakali and Mohiniyattom, percussion bands like Pandimelam and Panchavadyam, tableaus depicting scenes from history and mythology, decorative flower carpets - the trademark of Onam, and so on. Atham, the day which heralds the 10-day Onam festivities, is celebrated with great enthusiasm at Tripunithura.In earlier times, the Athachamayam Festival was celebrated in honour of the Raja of Kochi. On the festival day, the Maharaja undertook the ritualistic Attachamayam march from Tripunithura to the Vamanamoorthy Temple in Thrikkakara.He then offered his special prayers there.The grand parade made a halt at the royal quarters at Puthen Bungalow enroute, and later marched towards the sprawling Hill Palace compound. The Maharaja gave darshan to his innumerable citizens during this day.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 07:11:38 +0000
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