Kannambra - Rishinarada Mangalam vela is one of the biggest festival which is considered as the climax of the summer fests in the Palakkad-Trissur region. It is the centenary of Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy which is celebrated by two competing groups Kannambra Desom and Rishinarada Mangalam Desom (also known as R.Mangalam Desom)
On the Vishu day after seeing the Vishukani, people of both desom gather
at Sree Kurumba Temple and at R.Mangalam Mannam to hoists and sets up the flags. This event is called “Kooranattal” and it’s the inception of vela. From Vishu, the 41st day is the Famous the ‘Kannambra - Rhishinarada mangalam vela”. It usually comes on 24th or 25th May depending on Vishu. From Vishu evening onwards children from the natives starts celebrating ‘Kummatti’ by dancing and chanting about Devi’s Kummatti rhymes with the neem tree leaves and fire sticks in hand. For 40 days these rituals will be performed and the 40th day is the main Kummatti fest conducted with a sample fireworks and other major events. The fully decorated Aana Pandal will be ready to view by Kummatti evening. It is an arch-like structure, where the elephants remain for some time during the processing. On the day of Vela, a plenty of rituals are performed which includes “Vaalum Chilambum Ezhunnallathu” – procession from Sree Kurumba Temple to R.Mangalam Mannam which indicates that the Goddess is coming along with the parade to R.Mangalam Mannam to bless the devotees. Later there will be ‘Eedu Vedi’ – Bangers at noon. The R.Mangalam group starts their Vela from the R.Mangalam Mannam and the Kannambra group from the Kannambra Viswanatha Swamy temple. Both Desom will have a procession towards the Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple accompanied seven elephants and with Kerala’s traditional orchestras such as ‘Panchavadhyam, Pandi melam and Desa Vadyam with the country’s best percussionist in the band. The centered elephant will holds the ‘Kolam’ of the goddess. In the evening, these groups reach the Sree Kurumba temple. Infront of the temple is the ‘Vela Parambu’ – an area of empty fields enough to accommodate a large crowd. Once the parade reach inside the temple, the most awaited fireworks will begin. It is the prestige of both crews to be the best in that. And at night the same process will repeat. The extended fireworks will happen in the next day early morning and the vela ends at R.Mangalam Mannam by keeping down ‘Devi’s Kolam’
The fest is celebrated on a grand scale, equaling the famous 'Trissur Pooram' as experts commented the vela as a miniature of the Trissur Pooram in its historical presence, rituals, process, spectacle and in all other aspects. The carnival of Kannambra also have a nick name 'Chakka Vela' which says a story about the harvest of jack fruits and mangos during this period. The festival attracts a lot of people not only from nearby, but also from the neighboring districts of Trissur, Malappuram and from Tamil Nadu. The Vela is also an occasion for family reunions. People of the villages settled elsewhere, make it a point to attend the festival. People celebrate this event as a whole without any discrimination of caste/religion.
