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Chinakkathoor Pooram: shadow puppets, horse effigies and elephants
Leather puppets act out the Ramayana for the goddess all night
Chinakkathoor Pooram is the yearly festival of the Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagavathi temple at Palappuram, near Ottapalam in Palakkad district, Kerala. It falls on the day of the Makam star in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, between mid-February and mid-March: 21 February 2027 (expected). For 17 evenings before it, leather puppets act out the Ramayana for the goddess; on the pooram day itself come the horse and bull effigies, a procession of caparisoned elephants with temple orchestras, and fireworks at night.
The day follows the Malayalam almanac; the police traffic notice the day before is the practical confirmation.
The legend
Chinakkathoor Pooram is the yearly festival of the Bhagavathi temple at Palappuram near Ottapalam, in the Malayalam month of Kumbham.
Legend says shadow puppetry began at the request of Bhadrakali, who missed the slaying of Ravana while she was fighting the demon Darika.
So an image of the goddess is set before the stage: the Kamba Ramayana is performed for her first of all.
Customs
Shadows on a screen
For 17 evenings before the pooram, leather puppets act out the Ramayana behind a white screen lit by oil lamps.
Horses and bulls
Devotees carry sixteen decorated horse figures (kuthira) and eight bull figures (kaala) to the temple in procession.
What happens on the pooram day
The day is built from several processions and village performances. In Kuthirakkali, the horse play, villagers build large horse effigies of bamboo and plantain leaves and carry them to the temple ground; each horse stands for a soldier of the Zamorin's army, and teams compete to lift or throw their horse highest. Devotees bring sixteen decorated horse figures (kuthira) and eight bull figures (kaala) to the temple. Kaalakali, the ox play, and Parayeduppu, the collection of offerings from households, are part of the same cycle.
In the evening comes the Kuthirapooram, the horse rally, followed by the Aanapooram: Kerala Tourism describes a procession of 27 caparisoned elephants with panchavadyam and pandimelam, the traditional temple orchestras. Folk forms such as Vellattu, Theyyam, Poothanum Thirayum, Karivela and Aandi Vedan appear through the day. The Mudaliar Tamils of Palappuram decorate a theru (chariot) that runs on wooden wheels. Fireworks light the night, and the Pakalpooram carries the celebration into the early morning.
Shadow puppets for the goddess
The festival is best known for Tholpavakoothu, the shadow-puppet Ramayana of the Palakkad region. On each of the 17 evenings before the pooram, puppeteers move leather puppets behind a white screen lit by oil lamps and tell the Kamba Ramayana through the night. An image of the goddess is set before the stage, because the performance is for her first of all, not for an audience. The art survives at only a handful of Palakkad temples.
The legend explains why: Bhadrakali was fighting the demon Darika and missed the slaying of Ravana, so the Ramayana is played for her every year so that she can see it.
The temple and its history
The temple has two shrines, the lower Thazhekavu and the upper Melakavu, which is believed to be the older. Namboothiri priests perform the poojas in the lower shrine and during the ten days of the pooram; the priests of the upper shrine traditionally come from the Kulangara Nair family of Palappuram. A shrine to Vidya Ganapati stands by the large banyan tree next to the complex.
The pooram is believed to have been started by the Zamorin in the 18th century, which is why the horse effigies represent his soldiers.
How to reach and plan
Practical points for the pooram day.
- Getting there — The nearest railway station is Ottapalam, about 5 km from the temple. The nearest airport is Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, about 85 km away.
- Confirm the day — The date follows the Malayalam almanac, and Kerala Tourism treats its own dates as approximate. The police traffic notice issued the day before is the practical confirmation.
- Crowds and elephants — The pooram draws large crowds. FCDO notes that stampedes have occurred at religious gatherings; keep space around the elephant procession and follow police and temple volunteers.
- Temple etiquette — Inside the temple, follow the lead of local devotees on dress and conduct.
- Other festivals nearby — Palakkad has other temple festivals worth combining: Nenmara Vallanghy Vela and Kalpathi Ratholsavam. Kerala's best-known pooram is Thrissur Pooram.
FAQ
When is Chinakkathoor Pooram 2027?
21 February 2027 (expected). It falls on the Makam star in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, between mid-February and mid-March.
How many elephants are in Chinakkathoor Pooram?
Kerala Tourism describes a procession of 27 caparisoned elephants; some other accounts give 28.
Where is Chinakkathoor temple?
At Palappuram near Ottapalam in Palakkad district, Kerala, about 5 km from Ottapalam railway station.
What is Tholpavakoothu?
A shadow-puppet theatre of the Ramayana, performed with leather puppets behind a lamp-lit screen. At Chinakkathoor it runs on the 17 evenings before the pooram.
What is Kuthirakkali?
The horse play of the pooram: villagers carry large horse effigies of bamboo and plantain leaves to the temple and compete to lift or throw them highest.
Sources (4)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.