Tuesday 27 December 2011

Mullackal Chirappu at Alappuzha


Mullackal Chirappu at Alappuzha


The temple is located at the heart of Alleppey town. The presiding deity is Goddess Rajarajeswari. The temple celebrates two festivals every year. The nine-day 'Navarathri' festival is specially important.The last two days are the most auspicious days. Colourful processions participated by nine elephants are held in the evening. It is witnessed by thousands of devotees. Also several cultural programmes including Ottanthullal are staged in the temple.

Another important festival is during November and December is known as "Mullakkal Chirappu", 41 days of ccelebration, the whole town will be full of lights and decoration and the last ten days is the busiest days of the town.

 





A minor festival, the Kodiyettu Utsavam is celebrated in the temple during the Navarathri day, though the Chirappu is by far the most important festival which is as famous as the Sivarathri festival of Aluva, and the Ashtami celebrations of Vaikom. Past the month of Vrischikam, when Dhanu approaches, (December) the entire Alappuzha town assumes a festive look, throbs with activity and exults in jubilation. During these days, streets and buildings are decorated with flags and festoons. Big arches are put up across roads and the entire locality is illuminated with colour bulbs. The main thoroughfares are the bespread with snowy bright sand and the roads would appear as though they were covered with white carpet. Various fancy goods, especially requirements of the fair sex, vessels of various sizes and types etc. are lavishly displayed for sale in the fair during the Chirappu days. Certainly, in no other Devi temple in Kerala, the Chrirappu Utsavam is celebrated on as large a scale as in the Mullackal Devi temple.

The mullackal streets are usually filled with a stream of people during thechirappuevenings. Many small stalls pop up along the sides of the street selling toys, bangles etc.

Fireworks light up the town’s skies at night. Crowds gather at the town center to see the spectacular fireworks display. On some nights, the fireworks are followed by many cultural programmes like music, dance etc. Many renowned Malayalam singers have sung here during this time. 

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