View source for Kalpathi Ratholsavam

{{Short description|Annual Hindu temple festival in South India}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
[[File:Kalpathy Radholsavam Chariots 10.jpg|thumb|Chariots of the Kalpathy Ratholsavam ]]
'''Kalpathy [[Temple car|Ratholsavam]]''' (Kalpathy [[Ratha Yatra|Car Festival]]) is an annual [[Hindu]] [[Temple]] festival in the village of [[Kalpathy]], [[Palakkad]], a district in the state of [[Kerala]], [[India]]. The festival includes a locus of chariots from 4 different temples in Kalpathy, namely [[Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Palakkad|Sri Visalaksha Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple]], Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal temple, Manthakkara Sree Mahaganapathy temple<ref>{{Cite web |title=പുതിയ കൽപാത്തി; മന്ദക്കര മഹാഗണപതിയും പ്രദക്ഷിണ വഴിയിൽ; കൽപാത്തി ഭക്തിസാന്ദ്രം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/district-news/palakkad/2024/11/15/chariot-procession-kalpathi.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=പുതിയ കൽപാത്തി; മന്ദക്കര മഹാഗണപതിയും പ്രദക്ഷിണ വഴിയിൽ; കൽപാത്തി ഭക്തിസാന്ദ്രം |language=ml}}</ref> & Chathapuram Sri Prasanna Mahaganapathy temple.

Kalpathy Car Festival is based on vedic [[Tamil Brahmin]] culture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ദേവരഥങ്ങൾ ഒഴുകുന്ന അഗ്രഹാര വീഥികൾ; പുണ്യം പകർന്ന് കൽപ്പാത്തി രഥോത്സവം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/astrology/astro-news/2024/11/10/kalpathi-ratholsavam-festival.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=ദേവരഥങ്ങൾ ഒഴുകുന്ന അഗ്രഹാര വീഥികൾ; പുണ്യം പകർന്ന് കൽപ്പാത്തി രഥോത്സവം |language=ml}}</ref> The main centre of the festival is Kalpathy [[Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Palakkad|Sree Viswanathaswamy temple]]. The three satellite temples in the villages of new Kalpathy, old Kalpathy and Chathapuram are also participants in the festival.

The festival also features a [[Carnatic music]] [[Music festival|festival]] held at Mani Iyyer Road, Chathapuram and routines such as Unchavrithi and Pancharatna Keerthan Aalapan are performed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalpathi Ratholsavam - the chariot festival at Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Palakkad |url=https://www.keralatourism.org/event/kalpathi-ratholsavam/37/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.keralatourism.org |language=en}}</ref> There's also the vibrant sight of roadside stalls, which sell everything ranging from local delicacies to clothing items.

==How to get there==
* Nearest bus stand: [[Palakkad]] Stadium Bus Stand 3&nbsp;km
* Nearest railway station: [[Palakkad Junction]] - 3&nbsp;km
* Nearest airport: [[Coimbatore International Airport]] - 70&nbsp;km

==The Festival==
The annual ten-day chariot festival conducted here during the month of November(Malayalam month Thulam & Tamil month Aippasi) is one of the most remarkable festivals of Kerala. Also known as ''Kalpathy Theru''(Kalpathy Chariot), [[Vedic chant|Vedic]] recitals and cultural programmes are held in the temple during the first four days of the festival. The chariots are not brought on until the last three days of the festival. During the other days, the idols of the deities are decorated in different forms(such as ''[[Garuda]] vahana'' or ''[[Hanuman]] vahana'' for ''Lord [[Vishnu]], & Mooshika(mouse) vahana'' for ''Lord [[Ganesha]])'' and is carried through the streets in huge processions by the residents of the village, namely the ''Kalpathy Youngsters'' from the villages within Kalpathy, in either the support of bamboo shoots or in palanquins. This tradition is believed to be over 700 years old. 

There's also the ''Anjaam Thirunaal''(അഞ്ചാം തിരുനാൾ/Fifth Festival) which is the fifth day of the Ratholsavam where the deities are carried in processions in smaller chariots, and the big ones are only brought on in the last three days of the festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ലേഖകൻ |first=സ്വന്തം |date=2024-11-12 |title=ദേവരഥസംഗമത്തിന് സാക്ഷിയായി കല്‍പാത്തി; ഒപ്പം സ്ഥാനാര്‍ഥികളും |url=https://www.manoramanews.com/kerala/spotlight/2024/11/12/kalpathi-ratholsavam-fifth-day-backdrop-of-byelection.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Manoramanews |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:Anjaam Thirunaal.jpg|thumb|Anjaam Thirunaal(അഞ്ചാം തിരുനാൾ)(The fifth festival)]]

On the last three days, thousands of devotees gather together to draw decorated temple chariots through the streets.

6 chariots from 4 temples take part in the procession, namely the temples of [[Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Palakkad|Sri Visalakshi Sametha Viswanatha Swamy]], ''Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal, Manthakkara Sree Mahaganapathy & Chathapuram Sri Prasanna Mahaganapathy.''

Viswanatha Swamy temple owns three of the six chariots, which are of Lord [[Shiva]] & [[Parvati]], Lord [[Ganesha]], and the final one of Lord [[Kartikeya|Muruga]], who is the youngest of Lord Shiva's children and has the smallest chariot. The final three days of the festival are known as ''Onnam''(First) ''Theru''<ref>{{Cite web |last=ലേഖകൻ |first=സ്വന്തം |date=2022-11-14 |title=കൽപാത്തി രഥോത്സവത്തിനു തുടക്കമായി; ദേവരഥങ്ങൾ പ്രദക്ഷിണം തുടങ്ങി |url=https://www.manoramanews.com/india/latest/2022/11/14/Kalpathi-Ratholsavam-started.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Manoramanews |language=en-US}}</ref>'', Randam''(Second) ''Theru & Munnam''(Third) ''Theru'' respectively.

On the final day, all the chariots assemble in front of the Visalakshi Sametha Viswanatha Swamy temple, termed as the ''Devarathasangamam''(Chariot Confluence). The point of meeting is also known as ''Therumutty''(തേരുമുട്ടി). Thousands of devotees converge at Kalpathy and pull the chariot every year.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer; no by-line.--> |title=കല്‍പാത്തി അഗ്രഹാരത്തെരുവുകളില്‍ ദേവരഥങ്ങളുടെ പ്രയാണം; ദേവരഥ സംഗമം വെള്ളിയാഴ്ച| url=https://www.manoramanews.com/nattuvartha/north/2018/11/14/kalpathi-ratholsavam-2018.html |work=[[Malayala Manorama]] |date=14 November 2018 |access-date=15 November 2018 }}</ref> The chants of Lord Shiva, Narayana & Hanuman while the ropes are drawn is an unmissable event.
[[File:Kalpathy Radhasangamam.jpg|thumb|''Devarathasangamam, or Chariot Confluence'']]

==Pictures==
[[File:Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariot 2.jpg|thumb|Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariot of Chathapuram]]
[[File:Three chariots.jpg|thumb|Three chariots of Lord Shiva, Ganesha & Kartikeya in the Kalpathy Ratholsavam]]
[[File:കുതിര വാഹന അലങ്കാരം.jpg|thumb|Horse vehicle decoration(കുതിര വാഹന അലങ്കാരം) of Lakshmi Narayana Perumal & Chathapuram Prasanna Ganapathi]]
[[File:Inside the Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariot.jpg|thumb|Inside the Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariot]]
[[File:Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariot 1.jpg|thumb|Chariot of the Kalpathy Ratholsavam]]
[[File:Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariots.jpg|thumb|Kalpathy Ratholsavam chariots]]
[[File:Garuda Vahanam.jpg|thumb|Garuda Vahana decoration of Lakshmi Narayana Perumal, Kalpathy Ratholsavam]]
[[File:Lord Ganesha Kalpathy Ratholsavam.jpg|thumb|Lord Ganesha idol, Kalpathy Ratholsavam]]
[[File:Chariot of the Kalpathy Ratholsavam.jpg|thumb|Chariot of the Kalpathy Ratholsavam]]
[[File:Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Ratholsavam.jpg|thumb|Lakshmi Narayana Perumal at Kalpathy Ratholsavam(മൂന്നാം തേര്)]]
[[File:Flag of the Kalpathy Ratholsavam.jpg|thumb|Flag of the Kalpathy Ratholsavam(കൊടിയേറ്റം)]]
[[File:Kalpathy Radholsavam Chariots 02.jpg|thumb|Chariot of the Kalpathy Radholsavam on Onnam(ഒന്നാം/First) Theru]]
[[File:Kalpathy Radholsavam Chariots 11.jpg|thumb|Chariot of the Kalpathy Radholsavam, at dusk]]
[[File:Kalpathy Radholsavam Ganapathy.jpg|thumb|Manthakkara Mahaganapathy alangaram(decoration) during the Kalpathy Radholsavam]]
[[File:Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Hanuman.jpg|thumb|Hanuman Alankaram of Lakshmi Narayana Perumal]]
==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Kalpathi Ratholsavam}}

{{Culture of Kerala |state=collapsed}}
{{Tourism in Kerala}}

[[Category:Hindu festivals in Kerala]]
[[Category:November observances]]
[[Category:Festivals in Palakkad district]]