Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani
| Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani ചെട്ടികുളങ്ങര കുംഭ ഭരണി |
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| Status | active |
| Genre | Festival |
| Date(s) | Bharani Nakshatra in the Malayalam Calendar month of Kumbham |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue |
Chettikulangara Devi temple Chettikulangara, Kerala |
| Coordinates | 9°13′37″N 76°31′01″E / 9.227°N 76.517°ECoordinates: 9°13′37″N 76°31′01″E / 9.227°N 76.517°E |
| Inaugurated | Early 19th century |
| Previous event | 'March 13, 2016 |
| Organised by | Sree Devi Vilasom Hindumatha Convention |
Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani is an important festival celebrated every year at the Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Chettikulangara, Alappuzha district, Kerala. It is held in the month of March or April, the date being determined according to the Malayalam Calendar. Chettikulangara Bharani in the Bharani nakshatra in the Malayalam month of Kumbha and hence the name Kumbha Bharani. Kuthiyottam and Kettukazhcha are the highlights of the festival. The festival is under consideration to be bestowed with the Intangible Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO.
According to a legend, a group of Village chieftains and their works went to construct the Kollam - Chavara canal,acting on the decision of their king. They were stranded due to an inordinate delay in construction. Authorities turned down their plea to return. During the period they visited the temple festivities of Kollam Mulangakam temple. Attracted by the Kettukazhcha there they vowed to their local deity Chettikulangara Bhagavathy, that they would construct Kettukazhchas for her every year, if they were allowed to leave for Chettkulangara immediately. To their surprise, they were allowed to return to Chettikulangara the very next day, and as promised, they made huge Kettukazhchas and took them to their Bhagavathy’s premises.
Kuthiyottam is performed as an important offering to the deity. It is a symbolic human sacrifice to appease goddess Kali. It is believed that the origin of kuttiyottam is from blood sacrifice to please the ferocious Goddess Kali and the ritual has moderated over time, possibly under the influence of Buddhism. Kuttiyottam sponsors who vow to offer Kuttiyottam adopt two or four pre-pubescent who are to symbolically sacrificed on behalf of the sponsor. They are adopted on the day of shivaratri and brought to the sponsors house where a canopy is erected and a shrine of Kali is constructed. They are taught kuttiyottam steps by trained performers. On the day of bharani the boys are bathed and dressed up as kings with paper crown, bangles, fac. Their abdominal skin is pierced with silver or golden thread the ritual is known as Chooral Muriyal the name comes from Chooral(cane), as cane threads were used earlier and muri (cut). They are then taken to the temple, accompanied by pompous procession. In the front of the sanctum sanctorum they dance to four songs praising the goddess and thread is then removed and offered to the goddess. These boys are now ritually dead and may not take part in kuttiyottam again.
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Wikipedia