Page 38 - history_Classical

WORLDS OF THE HINDU MYTHOLOGY. GODDESS KALI WAS A WOMAN WHO WAS GIVEN BIRTH BY
A DIVINE POWER. KALI, THE MOST FEROCIOUS FORM OF LORD SHIVA’S THIRD EYE DID NOT
STOP EVEN AFTER KILLING THE DEMON. SHE WENT ON TO KILL ALL THE HUMAN BEINGS FOR
WHOM DARIKA WAS KILLED. NO GOD COULD STOP HER. KALI WAS FINALLY CALMED DOWN
AFTER LORD SHIVA, HER CREATOR, SURRENDERED TO HER.

THE VELLAYANI DEVI TEMPLE, LOCATED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM CITY
NEAR VELLAYANI LAKE IS DEDICATED TO GODDESS BHADRAKALI. THE TEMPLE IS NOTED FOR
THE KALIYOOTTU MAHOTSAVAM WHICH HAPPENS ONCE IN EVERY THREE YEARS AND IS
CELEBRATED OVER A TWO-MONTH PERIOD (ABOUT 56 TO 65 DAYS). 'KALI MAHOTSAVAM'
LITERALLY MEANS 'THE FESTIVAL WHEN DEVOTEES WILL FEED THE DEVI'.

Kaliyoottu IS A RITUAL ART FORM ASSOCIATED WITH GODDESS BHADRAKALI BELIEF MAINLY
POPULAR IN THE TEMPLES OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT. THE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES
WITH THE MYTH OF GODDESS KALI AND DEMON DARIKA, ONE OF THE MAIN RITUALS OF
Kaliyoottu IS THE Thottampattu. IT REQUIRES 48 DAYS FOR SINGING THE
Bhadrakalithottampattu COMPLETELY.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RITUALS ASSOCIATED WITH KALIYOOTTU FESTIVAL ARE Kalamkaval,
Uchabali, Dikkubali AND Paranettu - WHICH MARKS THE END OF THE KALIYOOTTU. AT
VELLAYANI TEMPLE THE PARANETTU WILL BE HELD ON THE NINTH DAY OF Medam (MID-
APRIL).

VELLAYANI LAKE

THE VELLAYANI LAKE IS ALSO
SYNONYMOUSLY KNOWN AS
VELLAYANI KAYAL. IT IS SITUATED
IN THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
DISTRICT AND IS CONSIDERED TO
BE ONE OF THE LARGEST FRESH
WATER LAKES IN
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. THERE IS
A MAJOR FEATURE OF THIS LAKE
WHICH IS THAT FROM HERE THERE
IS A ROAD THAT PASSES THROUGH
THE LAKE FOR WHICH A BUND HAS
BEEN CONSTRUCTED. THE AREA
AROUND THIS LAKE HAS BEEN LEFT
UNTOUCHED AS THE MODERN DAY
CONSTRUCTION WORKS HAVE NOT
BEEN DONE IN THIS REGION. THE WATER FROM THIS LAKE IS BEING USED TO PROVIDE WATER
FOR DRINKING AND IRRIGATION