Chittur Konganpada : http://www.neelaearth.com
A video clipping of the festival celebrated on 22nd February '99 at the Bhagavathy temple at Chittur,11 km from Palakkad town, north Kerala.
The Chittur Konganpada festival combines religion with mythology and history. The celebrations commemorate the victory of the Chittur Nairs over the militia of nearby Konganadu during 918 AD. It is said that there was constant fight in the Palakkad region between the Kerala kingdoms on the western side and the princely state of Konganad on the eastern side of the Western Ghat mountains.
On the third day of the Konganpada festival 101 rounds of the kathina vedi (ironpipe crackers) commemorates the historic victory. Later, there is a kolam procession of little boys dressed as girls carried on the shoulders of men. At night men engage in mock fights wearing buffalo head masks to symbolise the dead buffaloes of the Konganpada (Kongan militia).
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Palakkad, about 11 km from Chittur.
Nearest airports: Coimbatore in the neighbouring State of Tamilnadu, about 55 km from Palakkad;
Cochin International Airport, about 134 km from Palakkad.
For more details please visit http://www.neelaearth.com
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