Kalpathy Ratholsavam 2025 | Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy Temple Palakkad

കൽപതി റതോത്സവം ശ്രീ വിശാലക്ഷി സമേത ശ്രീ വിശ്വനാഥ സ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം പാലക്കാട് | Kalpathy Ratholsavam 2025 | Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy Temple Palakkad

Kalpathi Ratholsavam (Kalpathi Chariot Festival) is an annual Hindu Temple festival in the Kalpathi village of Palakkad district celebrated at Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple. The temple was under the control of Akathethara Kings of Palakkad. It was built around 1425 AD and the presiding deities were Lord Siva (Viswanatha) and his consort Visalakshi - another name of Goddess Parvathi. Once the temple priests had a conflict with the rulers and Raja had to seek help from Brahmins of Thanjavur (Tanjore) to do the daily poojas and rituals at temple. That's how Brahmins from Tanjore reached here as folk and settled with their families. Very soon Brahmin settlements called agraharams rose in Palakkad and Ratholsavam also came to be celebrated with the settlement of this clan. Apart from the significant chariot procession, Carnatic music, Vedic rituals and cultural events also came to be part of the festival. The grandeur of the festival has been appreciated by many including the Buddhist monk Fa-Hien who drew comparison of the festivities to those Buddhist festivals.

Kalpathy Ratholsavam 2025 | Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy Temple Palakkad

The annual ten-day chariot festival conducted here during the month of November, usually from 7 to 15, is one of the most remarkable festivals of Kerala. Vedic recitals and cultural programmes are held in the temple during the first four days of the festival. Ratholsavam lasts for three long days and many temples participate in the event. Kalpathi Visalakshi Sametha Viswanatha Swami temple,Manthakkara Managanapati temple, Chathapuram Prasanna Managanapati temple and Old Kalpathi Lakshmi Narayana Swami temple are the 5 participants whose chariots ride through the narrow streets of Kalpathi during festival season. Usually on November 15 which marks the end of the festival, all the 5 participants assemble together in front of Kalpathi Viswanatha Swami temple. During this time,chariots (rathas) from 4 temples of Kalpathy come together and circumvent streets of the villages in a grand procession. This event is known as Devarathasamgamam. Music festival is conducted at Chathapuram Mridangam Mani lyyer Road just before commencement of Ratholsavam. On the festival days, the routines and customs of Unchavrithi and Pancharatna Keerthan Aalapan are carried out.

EVENTS/PROGRAMS
Sankalpam
Vigneshwara pooja
Punyaham
Vastushanthi
Kalashashtapanam Pooja
Poornahoothi
Kalabhabhishekam
Radha bali
Deeparadhana
Radha vellottam
Nilakkunirthal

Temple Location

📍 Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Chathapuram, Kalpathy, Palakkad - 678003 Kerala.

Accessibility

🏙️ Nearest Town/ Landmark/ Junction: Therumutty junction, New Kalpathy -64 m
Kshipra Prasada Ganapathy temple-65m

🚌 Nearest Bus Station: Puthiyapalam Bus Stop- 1.2 Km

🚂 Nearest Railway Station: Palakkad Railway Station - 2 Km

✈️ Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport - 70 Km
Cochin Intenational Airport - 113 Km