festivals

Festival time in Kochi is colorful and full of fun and frolic. Some popular festivals celebrated in Kochi are:

• Ettumanoor Ezhara – A shiva temple festival, celebrated in January.
• Onam – This is one of the most important festivals in Kerala state, and is also celebrated in Kochi majestically. Street parades happen with dancers dressed like animals, and people decorate homes and streets with flowers in the form of Rangolis (also called Pookalam).
• Aluva Shivarathri – A festival dedicated to Lord Shiva. People usually fast during daytimes and pray to Lord Shiva during this festival. In Kerala, it is celebrated during the months of February/March.
• Ramadan – A Muslim festival, this marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is observed by Muslim people as a month of intermittent fasting and prayer.