Thirunakkara () is a locality of Kottayam city in Kerala, India. It is best known for Thirunakkara Sree Mahadevar Temple, dedicated to Shiva. The temple hosts an annual ten-day festival ending with the

aaraattu Ārāttu () is an annual ritual performed during Hindu temple festivals in Kerala, India, in which a priest bathe the idol of a deity by dipping it in a river or a temple tank. It is mainly carried out at the end of a temple festival. ''Ār� ...

ritual of dipping an idol of a deity into a river or temple tank, which includes a procession of nine decorated elephants. The festival is a celebration of Shiva's wedding to Parvati and is dedicated to Shiva. During the festival, traditional Keralan dances such as

Mayilattom Mayilattam (Tamil: மயிலாட்டம்) is an artistic and religious form of dance performed in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu in reverence to Lord Subrahmanya. Mayilattam performers wear costumes from head to toe like peacock with ...

and

Velakali Velakali is a traditional martial dance of Nair community of Kerala, India that is performed during temple festivals. Brightly dressed dancers wielding swords and shields depict a fight sequence between the Pandavas and Kauravas during the ...

are performed within the temple premises in the evening. Another major attraction is the

Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...

performances during the festival. Kottayam

References

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