OCHIRA KALI

OCHIRA KALI

Ochira Kali, the two-day festival that heralds the monsoon, was performed with traditional gaiety. Thousands thronged the Ochira padanilam braving the heavy downpour to witness the spectacular festival. Men clad in attires of traditional warriors and wielding cane sticks in place of swords, stepped into the water filled ettukandam (field), which was the padanilam (battle ground), performing a dance choreographed in the style of kalarippayatu, splashing the water in each step.Ochira kali is a martial arts festival conducted on the first and second day of Malayalam month Midhunam, to commemorate the battle fought between the Kayamkulam and Ambalappuzha King at the padanilam some hundred years ago.According to Parameswaran Nair, a senior representative of one of the karas, the festival also marks the beginning of monsoon   in Onnattukara region.

"This is a festival of exuberance. Every year, during the start of the festival monsoon gets strong here and the festival is conducted in the rain, said Reghunathan, a devotee and a retired government employee, who has been coming to the festival for the past 60 years.
For six-year-old Ambadi, a class one student, this was his first kali and he was all excited to perform the ritual before Lord Ochira Parabrahma along with his father and friends. According to the temple authorities, the ritual is conducted with the same pomp and show every year. This year the authorities have taken extra effort to ensure greater participation and special awards have been given to the asans (gurus).

Prof. John Kurakar