Kodiyal Theru Festival

Ignoring COVID-19 physical distancing norms, hundreds of devotees took part in Kodiyal Theru festival.

About Kodiyal Theru:

• The “Kodial Theru” or The Car Festival called as Theru in Konkani and Rathothsava in Kannada revolves around the celebrations of placing the Deity in a gigantic Ratha decorated in red and white which is then hauled across the city by devotees.
• During the Theru, people participate in Pujas at the Sri Venkataramana temple, Mangaluru, Karnataka.

Car Festivals (Chariot Festivals):

• Car festivals (Rathotsava) involve devotees building a large cart with bamboo and wood, decorated with flowers, flags and canvas and hand-pulling it through the streets.

Other Car Festivals of India:

• Jagannath Swamy Temple car festival:
• Ratha Jatra, also called as Chariot Festival, is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri, Odisha.
• The festival is celebrated on the 2nd day of Shukla Paksha of Ashadh, the third month, according to the traditional Oriya calendar.
• It is a 9 day-long event and marks the return of Lord Krishna to Vrindavan with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra to Gundicha Temple via Mausi Maa Temple (maternal aunt's home) near Saradha Bali, Puri.
• During the festival, the three holy chariots carrying idols of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balaram (Balabhadra) and sister Subhadra are pulled by thousands of devotees from India and abroad.
• Kalpathy car festival
• The majestic chariots of the Gods rolling through the streets of the Kalpathy Agraharams (Brahmin villages), the first heritage village in Palakkad, Kerala.
• The festival described as the ‘father of all car festivals in the State’ is one of the biggest festivals next only to the famous Puri Jagannath Swamy Temple car festival in Orissa.
• The festival is centered around the Sree Viswanathaswamy Temple on the banks of Kalpathy river, a tributary of Bharathapuzha.
• Villianur Temple Car Festival
• It is an ancient tradition about the famous deity named Thirukamemswara Kukilambal.
• On the occasion day the famous god is taken out for a procession in a decorated chariot. The long procession visits the local areas and then ends its journey in the temple.
• It is celebrated in Puducherry.