The 800-year-old Theyyam is one of the most famous festivals in Kerala where you can witness the vivid folk dances and traditional art of Kerala!

Theyyam is a popular ritualistic art form used to dramatize the great stories and historical accounts of Kerala. It’s a combination of music, dance, flamboyant costumes (complete with enormous headgear and ornaments), makeup, and mime, all of which create a dazzling spectacle and leave viewers in awe!

Traditional musical instruments like Chenda, Kurumkuzal, Elathalam, and Vee Kuchinda are employed to depict stories of ancient legends and myths. The whole act is performed by 400 different Theyyams, where each has a separate role to play with distinct music and choreography.

Theyyam date: Between December to April

6. Attukal Pongala

Dedicated to Attukal Devi, Attukal Pongala is yet another popular festival in Kerala that brings together women of all castes and creeds in Kerala.

A large procession of women prepare ‘payasam’ (a sweet rice pudding made of jaggery, coconut, and plantains) and offer it to Goddess Attukal Bhagavathy at the Attukal Temple in Trivandrum. The streets of Trivandrum light up in dazzling colors as swarms of saree-clad women march to the temple to celebrate!

Its rising number of devotees has even landed it in the Guinness World Book of Records as the largest gathering of women for a festival, which explains why it’s one of the most famous festivals in Kerala!