PADAYANI HELD AT KADAMMANITTA

          PADAYANI HELD AT KADAMMANITTA

   The annual Valiya Padayani, part of the 10-day Padayani festival at Kadammanitta Bhagavathy temple near Pathanamthitta was held with ritualistic fervour on Thursday 21th April,2011 night. Devottes and temple art lovers from across the state thronged the small village of Kadammanitta to witness the event. The festival began with a procession of the majestic Bhairavi Kolams and other Kolams after the 'athazhapuja'
  The procession, to the accompaniment of the Padayani percussion of Thappu and the rhythmic padayani songs, and lit up by indigenous torches (Chootu-katte) made of dry coconut fronds, began from Kadammanitta junction and  concluded on the temple premises at mid night.
  Kolams (masks), palm fronds and natural colours, were paraded in the processsion. Kolams of Ganapathi, Marutha, Lalan, Kuthira, Madan,Pakshi and Yakshi were displayed. A performance of the Bharavi Kolam early on Friday was the main attraction of the Valiya padayani.
   Legend has it that Goddess to meet Lord Siva in her fiercest form after staging the demon Darika. On the advice of Lord Subramaniaya,Lord Siva sent various  Kolams' to great Goddess Kali to douse her anger and pacify her. Kali laughed at the sight of the Bhairavi Kolam and she was no longer angry. The Padayani festival,held as part of the annual Pathamudaya Mahosavom at he temple,will conclude with pakal Padayani on Saturday.

                                                                                                Prof. John Kurakar