All arrangements are in place for the Kumbha Bharani festival at the Chettikulangara Devi temple, near Mavelikara, on Monday.
The rituals and pujas in connection with the festival, which started from Shivaratri, will reach its crescendo on the festival day with the ‘Kuthiyottam' performances and the ‘Kettukazcha' pageant.
The Chettikulangara Devi temple has the Goddess Bhadrakali as the main deity and is believed to be over 1,200 years old. People who offered ‘Kuthiyottam’ performances to the deity have trained boys to dance to a particular rhythm. The 'Kuthiyottam' procession will reach the temple at 6 a.m.
The biggest spectacle, the ‘Kettukazhcha' pageant, which displays six gigantic temple cars known as ‘kuthira' (horse motifs), five 'theru' (chariots), and mammoth idols of Bheema and Hanuman will be drawn to the temple from the 13 localities (‘karas') at 4 p.m. After completing a round in the temple, the 'Kettukazcha' units will be moved to a nearby field termed ‘Kazchakandom’ at 7.30 p.m. A Hindu religious convention will be held later in the night.
Devotees from various parts of the State are expected to assemble at Chettikulangara to participate in the festival organised under the aegis of the Sridevi Vilasom Hindu Matha Convention.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in Chettikulangara. Officials said that more than 700 police personnel would be deployed. A large number of surveillance cameras have been installed on the roads and temple premises. Traffic will be regulated in Chettikulangara from 2 p.m.
District Collector Renu Raj has declared a local holiday in Mavelikara and Karthikapally taluks in connection with the Bharani on Monday. Educational institutions and government offices will remain closed. However, public examinations will be held as scheduled.
