Main Festivals

Palakkad has a vivid cultural tradition. Thunjathu Ramanujam Ezhuthachan, widely accepted as the father of Malayalam literature spent his last days at Chittur in this district. Kunjan Nambiar the most famous of all Malayalm poets and the founder of thullal , a purely Kerala art form, was born in a small village in this district. Many other noted exponents of varied art forms like Chakkiar Koothu, Kathakali, Thullal etc.. which are intrinsically Kerala art forms, found encouragement and inspiration at Palakkad. Most noted of all perhaps is the exponent of Carnatic Music late Sri Chembai vaidyanatha Bhagawathar. Likewise Palakkad Mani Iyer was known the world over for his mastery over the mridangam, the drum so central to Carnatic music.
Kalpathy Car Festival (Kalpathy Ratholsavam)
Kalpathy Viswanatha swamy temple is the oldest Siva temple in Malabar. It was build around 1425 AD. by Kombi Achan, the then Raja of Palakkad. Kalpathy Car Festival is based on vedic Tamil Brahmin culture. The main centre of the festival is Kalpathy Sree Viswanathaswamy temple.
Manappullikavu Vela
Manappullikavu Vela is a major festival held every year at the Manappullikkavu Bhagavathy Temple. It is believed that the temple is about 1200 years old. It is different from other Bhagavathy Temples by way of rites and rituals. Namboodiries, that is, the Kerala Brahmins perform the daily rituals according to tantric traditions. Both Saiva and Vaishnava traditions are observed in the poojas.
Nenmara-Vallengi Vela
Nenmara-Vallengi Vela is a renowned festival of Palakkad attracting people from far and wide. It is held annually on the Pooram day of the Malayalam month Meenam. The Festival starts with the hoisting the sacred flag.
Chittur Kongan Pada
Tradition says that one 'Singamanan' the ruler of Ramapattinam Zamin, West of Pollachi, waged war on Chittur on the pretension that the people of Chittur and Pattanchery had stolen like silver, muslin etc .from Tamil merchants. In the war, people of Chittur who were not familiar with the warfare were faced with defeat and finally with the help of the Bhagavathy, the female deity of the place, were able to inflict a crushing defeat. The leader of the Kongu army was slain in the battle. As a gratitude to the Bhagavathy, the people decided to celebrate the victorious day every year in the name at this temple and the festival was born.
Jain Temple Festivals
One of the few existing Jain temples in Kerala is the Jain temple at Jainmedu, near Palakkad town. According to legend, one sutar (head of the Jains) built this temple 500 years ago for the Jain sage, Chandranathaswami. The Jain who came here from Mysore fled from this place during the invasion of Tipu Sultan. This temple comprises four divisions and is 32 feet high and 20 feet wide
Ottappalam Nercha Festival
Ottappalam Nercha Festival held in the month of January - February and is celebrated to commemorate the death of saint Uthaman Auliya. An important ritual of this Festival is the distribution of food prepared during the festival to the poor.
Kunnathurmedu Sri Krishna Temple
Kunnathurmedu Sreekrishna Temple is located at the heart of the Palakkad Town. A beautiful Vigraha, (idol) depicting Sreekrishna as a child is an attraction of this temple. The main festival of the temple is Ashtami Rohini (Sreekrishna Jayanthi). It is the only Sreekrishna Temple in Palakkad Town.

Palappuram Chinakkathoor Kavupooram

Pooram at Sree Chenakkathoor Bhagavathy temple. Grand procession of caparisoned elephants. Panchavadyam, lot of village folk forms - Poothan, Thira, Andivedan, Kumbhamkali, Kavadiyattom etc.- are performed. Kuthiravela and Kaalavela - processions of decorated motifs of Kuthira (horse) and Kaala (bull) by devotees and brought to the temple ceremoniously - are also be held. Magnificent fire works in the evening and mid-night is another attraction. Tholppavakoothu, the shadow puppet play is presented here as a ritual on everyday for seventeen days preceding to the festival. At Palappurum, 5kms from Ottappalam in Palakkad district.

Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Kshethram Pooram

The main event of this festivals is Aarattu. The same is performed 21 times, in a sequence of one in the morning and one in the evening, for ten days and the final Aarattu on the eleventh day. Tenth day (26th) night is Pallivetta. On the pooram day mid night there is a ceremonial meeting between Valluvakkonathiri, the king of the earst while kingdom, and Malayankutty, the head of Pana community who comes to the pooram ground on a palanquin. It is known as Panante Varavu. This commemorates the religious harmony and the help rendered by the tribal headman to the Raja in by gone days. The twelfth day, from morning to evening there will be a performance of folk from chavittukali. Ottanthullal, Paadhakom, Chakyarkouth, Nagyarkouth, Kathakali, Thayambaka, Melam, cultural programmes etc. are performed during the festival days. Kalamezhuthum Pattum a ritual folk from of drawing Badrakali using natural colours accompanied by songs, is offered by the devotees every day till pooram being. Located at Angadippuram on Kozhikode - Palakkad highway and very near to Perinthalmanna. From Shornur Nilambur local train stops at Angadippuram railway station. 27kms from Pattambi railway station