Venue : Nellikkulangara Bhagavathy Temple, Nenmara, Palakkad district.

Introduction :

Nenmara Vallangi Vela is a temple festival celebrated in the district of Palakkad in Kerala, India. The Vela is regarded as one of the biggest temple festivals of the State.Nenmara and Vallangi are two deshams (regions) of Palakkad and the annual Vela festival is held as a joint invocation by them to the Goddess Bhagavathy of the Nellikkulangara Bhagavathy temple. The festival is held in the month of Meenam (March-April), according to the Malayalam calendar.

Be it the elephant pageantry or temple orchestras, the two deshams vie with each other to present their best, making the festival simply majestic.The festivities start with Kodiyettam (religious flag hoisting) on the first of Meenam. On the ninth day flag hoisting is done in both villages and its time for the villagers to watch Kummatti, a charming folk art form.

Karivela and Andivela, two other folk art forms are the highlights of the eighteenth and nineteenth days respectively.The twentieth is the big day of the festival. Spectacular processions with caparisoned elephants from the two villages are taken to the Nellikulangara temple, the main venue.

On reaching the temple, both sides stand face to face at the Utsavapandal (festival marquee). In a competitive spirit both sides present Panchavadyam and other traditional percussion ensembles.After certain rituals, the processions go back to the respective deshams only to come back in the night in the same spirit and vigour. Spectacular fireworks are held in the night.The festivities conclude after the Koora Azhikal (ritualistic lowering of the festival flags) on the twenty-first day at both deshams.

Getting there :

Nearest railway station: Palakkad, about 40 km.

Nearest airports: Coimbatore in the neighbouring state of Tamilnadu, about 55 km; Cochin International Airport, about 120 km.