Kerala Village Fair – Displaying the Rich Culture and Tradition of Gods own Country

Celebrated with huge gaiety and fervor, Kerala Village Fair is an amalgamation of cultural and traditional events conducted around the verdant villages of Kochi and Kovalam every year in mid January for a time period of ten days. During this festival, traditional houses (Nalukettu) are festooned with beautiful decorative and these decorated houses also serves as the venue for all these events. Thousands and thousands of tourists from across the globe visit Kerala during the time of this festival. This is the best time to visit Kerala to witness the grandiose cultural events and the bygone era of rich Keralite history.  

A typical traditional Keralite house which is known as ‘Grammam’ houses many conventional Nalukettu houses and tea shops. Nalukettu are the traditional thatched and decorated houses and are the main backdrop of all the festivities that are conducted during the festival.

Annually in the beach of Kovalam and the Marine Drive in Ernakulam this festival is celebrated with huge enthusiasm and participation by all the people of Kerala irrespective of their caste and political affections. The basic concept of this festival is to recreate the entire Keralite village in the traditional Keralian style. Houses and huts depicting both of the higher and the lower class are made.

Celebration: The traditional Nalukettu are ornamented with ancient paintings, Mahogany, sandalwood, priceless furniture in teak, spice bowl, ethnic jewelry, swords and shields. The traditional house is further bejeweled with household utensils, Palmyra fans, musical instruments; majestic wooden beds which make it even more attractive drawing large number of tourists. The Nalukettu looks captivating with a floral decoration known as ‘Pookalam’ and the village girls exhibiting ‘Thiruvathirakali’ around a tall brass lamp attired in a gorgeous traditional dress.

Main Highlights: The main highlights of this festival are the large number of astrologers, sorcerers, and artisans who provides glimpse of the Kerala rich history and its bygone era. In true sense, this fair recreates the charm and the nostalgia of the bygone era that symbolizes the simplicity and the richness of old Kerala. Ritualistic art forms such as Pulikali, Theyyam, Kakkarisi, Panchavadyam, Villapattu, Bhajans and Thullal are also performed.

Culinary Delights: At the Chyakada or the village tea shop the visitors and guests are welcomed in every Grammam with tender coconut and refreshing tangy lemon juice. Culinary delights such as steamed tapioca and fish curry (meen and kappa) or pounced rice cakes and lentils (Puttu and Kadala) are also served during the festival. The festivity is further enhanced by the wide range of South India dishes which include mixed vegetable avial, fish stew with coconut milk, theeyal, mutton biryani, lacy idiappam, Malabar porotta and many more.

Visitors can buy various souvenirs and other handicrafts at Kamalgramam to take back home as a memorable gift from Kerala.

Tourists must visit this place during the celebration time of this festival if they want to witness what Kerala used to be in yester years.  

Athachamayam Festival in Thrippunithura

Also known as temple town, Thrippunithura is a suburb of Cochin City in Gods own Country Kerala and was the capital of the erstwhile Royal kingdom of Kochi. It is very popular for the celebration of the first day ‘Atham’ of the 10 days long Onam festival which is celebrated in this place with great fervor and joy. The celebration is named as Athachamayam and this town of majestic splendor celebrates the factual fortitude of Onam with collective harmony all over the state in the Atham asterism of the Malayalam month Chingam (approximately in August/September).

History: Initially, it was celebrated to honour the renowned victory of King of Kochi along with the memories of legend King Mahabali. In the first day of Onam, the Maharaja of Kochi along with the Kozhikode Zamorin used to hold a festivity and poojas at Thrikakkara Vamanamorthy Temple with glorious walk of the Maharajas to Vamana temple at Thrikakkara signifying the royal spectacle, peace, impartiality recollecting the days when almost everything was plentiful. The Maharaja used to give 'darshan' to his countless citizens during this day.

The last such Athachamayam was conducted during the control of Rama Varma Pareekshtih Thampuran. After the Independence and unity with larger India, this tradition was disappeared until the early sixties (1960’s) when the people of Tripunithura determined to revitalize the festival but was named as Athaghosham. Since, the formation of Municipal Council of Tripunithura in 1980 it is conducted under its joint leadership with thousands of artists from all over the state participating in this festival. Now once again the majestic charm and splendor of this festival is conducted and has become the official commencement of the 10 day celebrations of Onam in Ernakulam district.    


Key Attractions:

• Almost all folk arts of Kerala can be seen including Kummatti, Theyyam, Kolkali, Mayilattom, Karakattom, Kummi, Poykal, ammankudam, Kathakali, aatakavadi, panjavadyam, chendamelam, Pulikali etc.
• Floats portraying eternal moments from Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bible as well as the current social issues are displayed.
• Competitions and variety of entertainment programmes.
• Handicrafts and cottage sector vendors lined up in the path.
• Trade fair for 10 days.
This festival is celebrated in the Thrikkakara Temple which is also considered as the abode of King Mahabali. After the hoisting and the lightning of the lamp, ceremonial parade headed by Lord Mahabali is taken out in the streets of Thripunithura with thousands of people partaking in it. Thrippunithura Athachamayam is a spectacular festivity where all the people irrespective of all castes and community come together for participating in this festival. It is the only one day in the year when people from diverse communities are allowed to enter the fort of Kottakkakam. The caparisoned elephants, diverse folk art forms, float, and musical ensembles jointly form part of the march and are the major attraction of the festival which remains its royal charm despite of the procession of the king.

As of present, this festival is vigorously endorsed as a tourism event. To witness this grand festivity is like an exotic experience not only for Keralites but to all non-Keralites who visit Kerala during this period of year to witness the grand success of Athachamayam.