Uthralikavu Pooram is a traditional festival that is celebrated at Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple which is located in the Thrissur District of Kerala. The festival is observed in the month of March (Kumbham Malayalam Month).
The festival is marked by several traditions which include a day-long procession along with two drum orchestrations. Later, the celebration is followed by some folk-art performances which are again a tradition of Hindu religion and of Kerala as well.
History of Uthralikavu Pooram
It is a festival dedicated to Goddess Kali who is known to kill evil. The venue of the festival and celebrations has been Thrissur's Sree Ruthira, Mahakalikavu Temple, for a long time now.
Local people arrive and gather at the temple to witness the traditional rituals and activities such as elephant procession along with folk dance and music performances. Uthralikavu Pooram is one of the important festivals of Kerala.
Major Attractions of Uthralikavu Pooram, Thrissur
1. Elephant Procession
A procession of 20 elephants completely dressed in traditional attires and colorful parasols stand together which makes up for a great view. These elephants are decorated with Venchamarams (white tufts) and Aalavattam (Peacock Plume Fans).
2. Dance & Music
Highly energetic and musical gatherings known as Panchavadyam and Pandimelam add charm and fun factor to the processions. The festival is also graced by the renowned classical Indian dancers who perform in their fields such as Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, etc.
How to Reach
Thrissur is the cultural capital of Kerala that is visited by tourists from across the country for its vibrant and colorful events and festivals, one of them being Uthralikavu Pooram. Besides the festivals, Thrissur is home to many intriguing tourist destinations comprising Chapra Falls, Thrissur Zoo, Heritage Garden, Chavakad Beach, Thiruvambadi Krishna Temple, and many more. You too can arrive here via a well-developed network of railways, roadways, and airways. Mentioned below are some best travel options for you.
By Air
The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport which is approximately 52.3 kilometers away from Thrissur. Once you land at the airport, you can easily get the local modes of transport to reach the destination. The airport is well-connected to other major cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai. You can travel with the following airlines via their non-stop flights to Thrissur.
- Delhi - AirAsia, GoAir, AirIndia, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara
- Mumbai - IndiGo, GoAir, SpiceJet, AirIndia
- Chennai - SpiceJet, IndiGo, AirIndia
- Bengaluru - AirAsia, GoAir, IndiGo, AirIndia
- Hyderabad - GoAir, AirAsia, IndiGo
List of flights from different Indian cities to Kochi
By Rail
The nearest railway station is Thrissur Railway Station. The Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple is just a few minutes away from the railway station. Listed below are some direct trains by which you can reach Thrissur.
- Delhi - Kerala Express, MNGLA LKSDP Express
- Mumbai - Netravati Express, Trivndrm Rajdhani
- Bengaluru - Kanyakumari Express, Ernakulam Express, Kochuveli Express
- Hyderabad - Sabari Express
By Road
Thrissur has great road connectivity and is well-linked to its neighboring regions. Cities like Kochi (61km), Kozhikode (95km), and Coimbatore (101km) can be easily reached by roadways. Mentioned below is the estimate of distance in kilometers and the best route to take in order to reach Thrissur.
- Mysuru - 260 km via NH 181
- Palakkad - 69 km via NH 544
- Madurai - 283 km via NH 83
- Thiruvananthapuram - 280 km via Main Central Road
