Thypooyam

'Thaypooya Mahotsavam' the one-day festival dedicated to Lord Subramanya, the eldest son of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi, is celebrated in most temples in Kerala. Thaipooyam is celebrated with much pomp and festivity in the Sree Subramanya Temple in Alappuzha, the Sree Maheswara Temple in Thrissur, Subramanya temples of Malabar and Sree Subramanya Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. On the day of the festival, hundreds of devotees carry Kavadies or wooden arches richly decorated with peacock feathers, tapestry or artificial flowers, on a ceremonious procession to the temple and dance in abandon unfolding a magnificent spectacle in the temple precincts. Their contents are emptied either on or before the image and the devotees return contented that their vows have been fulfilled and accepted. The devotee who has to take a kavati has to serve a period of penance before he undertakes the task, during the course, of which he has to fast and visit the temple of Subramanya. He carries in his hand peacock feathers, smears his body with ashes, wear strings of beads round his neck and arms and dresses in ochre coloured cloth and grows his hair. During the period of penance, he waits eagerly to get a revelation in a dream as to what article, ghee, milk, rose water, sandal paste, he is to take as an offerings. His fixed idea is realized in his dreams. Thousands of small traditional oil lamps fixed on the outer walls of the temple are lit on the festival night.  The festival comes in the month of March on the Pooyam asterism which coincides with the full-moon day. The god Subramanya, the son of Siva is popular in Malabar. There are many temples dedicated to him. The festival of Kavati Abhishekam is celebrated in the Subramanya temples of Malabar.