See below for the 2024 Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku Date Time Celebrations, Timings, Pooja Details, How to Celebrate at Home, Step by step guide, Here.

Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku 2024: A Unique Festival of Devotion and Transformation

Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku, a distinctive festival celebrated in the Kottankulangara Devi Temple in Kollam district, Kerala, is an annual spectacle of faith, devotion, and transformation. The festival is unique as thousands of male devotees dress up as women to offer their prayers to the Goddess Bhagavathy, the deity of the temple. In 2024, this fascinating festival will be celebrated on March 23rd and 24th. See below in detail about the 2024 Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku Date Time Celebrations.

2024 Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku Date Time Celebrations

The two-day festival commences in the evening of March 23rd with various religious rituals. The main event, Chamayavilakku (lamp procession), takes place on the night of March 24th, where men dressed as women carry lamps and march towards the temple.

Pooja Details

During the festival, special poojas are conducted at the temple. On the first day, the ‘Kottam Kazhcha’ ritual is performed, where devotees present miniature structures of temples and chariots to the goddess. On the second day, the ‘Chamaya Vilakku’ ritual takes place. Male devotees, dressed in traditional female attire, carry lamps filled with ghee and walk in a procession towards the temple. This ritual is performed as an offering to the goddess Bhagavathy.

How to Celebrate at Home

While the grandeur of the festival is best experienced at the temple, those who cannot attend can still partake in the celebrations at home. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Clean your house and set up a pooja room or a clean corner for the celebration.

Step 2: Place an idol or picture of Goddess Bhagavathy in the pooja area.

Step 3: On the evening of March 23rd, perform a pooja to invoke the goddess. You can also create miniature structures of temples and chariots as offerings.

Step 4: Men in the family can dress up in traditional female attire. This is done to honor the festival’s unique tradition.

Step 5: On March 24th, conduct the Chamayavilakku ritual at home. Light lamps filled with ghee and offer prayers to the goddess.

Step 6: Conclude the pooja by distributing prasad among family members.

FAQs

1. Why do men dress up as women for this festival? This unique tradition is based on a legend associated with the temple. It is believed that a group of boys, who used to herd cows, discovered the deity and dressed up as girls to offer flowers and a lighted lamp to her. The goddess was pleased with their devotion and appeared before them. From then, this ritual has been followed.

2. Can anyone participate in the Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku? Yes, irrespective of religion or gender, anyone can participate in the festival.

3. Are there any restrictions for participating in the Chamayavilakku ritual? There are no strict restrictions. However, participants are required to follow certain customs, like wearing traditional female attire for the lamp procession.

Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku is more than just a festival; it’s a celebration of faith, devotion, and transformation. Whether you’re witnessing it firsthand at the Kottankulangara Devi Temple or celebrating it within the confines of your home, the experience is sure to leave an indelible imprint on your heart. This is the brief information about the 2024 Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku Date Time Celebrations in detail.

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