Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku

About this event

Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku is the distinctive annual festival of Kottankulangara Sree Bhagavathy Temple at Chavara in Kollam district, dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, also identified with Vanadurga. Celebrated in the Malayalam month of Meenam, generally during March, the festival is particularly known for the Chamayavilakku ritual, in which male devotees dress in traditionally feminine attire and carry lighted lamps in a devotional procession to the temple. Participants may wear saris, half-saris or dance costumes, together with ornaments, flowers and makeup, as part of their observance and in fulfilment of personal vows. The ritual is traditionally understood as an expression of devotion and humility rather than a theatrical performance. According to the temple tradition recorded by Kerala Tourism, the origins of Chamayavilakku are connected with local cowherd boys who discovered a stone believed to possess divine power. After girls began offering flowers and lamps at the site, the boys are said to have imitated them by dressing as women and performing the offering, a practice that eventually developed into the festival’s distinctive ritual. The festival extends over 16 days, with the principal Chamayavilakku observances taking place on the 10th and 11th days of Meenam. The temple’s unusual architecture adds to its significance: Kerala Tourism describes the sanctum sanctorum as roofless, an uncommon feature among Kerala temples. Other festival features include Kettukazhcha, the display of decorated structures, the Kuruthola Pandal made from tender coconut leaves, Jeevatha Ezhunnallathu and traditional cultural programmes. The Chamayavilakku procession takes place at night, when participants carrying illuminated lamps proceed towards the temple accompanied by traditional orchestral music. The festival has also developed into a significant gathering for devotees from different communities, with Kerala Tourism noting participation by people irrespective of religious background. Its combination of ritual, costume, lamps, music, craftsmanship and collective participation makes it one of Kollam’s most distinctive temple celebrations. The festival is closely tied to the temple’s own traditions and should be understood within its religious setting rather than simply as a cultural spectacle. Kottankulangara’s annual celebration demonstrates how local legends, devotional practices and community participation can preserve an unusual ritual tradition across generations. For visitors interested in Kerala’s living religious heritage, the festival offers an opportunity to observe a highly distinctive form of temple devotion while also experiencing traditional music, ceremonial displays and the visual atmosphere created by hundreds of illuminated lamps. Kerala Tourism’s 2026–27 event calendar lists the next Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku for March 2027.

🚆 Railway: Kollam Railway Station — approximately 13 km from Kottankulangara Devi Temple.

✈️ Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport — approximately 80 km from the temple according to Kerala Tourism’s festival information.

🚌 Bus: Chavara Private Bus Station — approximately 500 m from the temple; Chavara town is about 1.5 km away.

🏨 Stay: Accommodation is available in Chavara and Kollam, with a wider choice of hotels and other stays in Kollam city.

✅ Notes: The festival lasts 16 days, with the principal Chamayavilakku observances on the 10th and 11th days of Meenam. Kerala Tourism’s 2026–27 calendar lists the next festival for March 2027. Festival dates are governed by the Malayalam calendar and temple traditions and should be confirmed locally before travel.