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KALPATHY RATHOLSAVAM (CHARIOT FESTIVAL)

KALPATHY RATHOLSAVAM (CHARIOT FESTIVAL)

Kalpathi (Kalpathy) Ratholsavam (Kalpathi Chariot Festival) is an annual Hindu Temple festival in the Kalpathi village of Palakkad district in Kerala state, south India. The festival is at the Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple where the deities are Lord Siva (Lord Viswanatha) and his consort Visalakshi, another name for Parvati.
The annual ten-day chariot festival conducted here during the month of November is one of the most remarkable festivals of Kerala. Vedic recitals and cultural programmes are held in the temple during the first four days of the festival. This is believed to be over 700 years old. On the last three days, thousands of devotees gather together to draw decorated temple chariots through the streets.
The ancient temple nestles by the banks of the Kalpathy river which is also known as the Nila river. The temple dates back to 1425. 
The festival is conducted over a period of 10 days, usually November 7 to 15. During this time, 4 chariots (rathas) from 4 temples of Kalpathy come together and circumvent streets of the villages in a grand procession. Main chariot carrying Lord Shiva and additional 2 small chariots for his sons, Ganapathy and Murugan, chariots from the other 3 villages namely New Kalpathy with Lord Ganapathy, Old Kalpathy with Lord Krishna and Chathapuram with Lord Ganapathy.This is known as 'devarathasamgamam'.

 

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