Koduvayur Ratholsavam 2025 | Koduvayur Temple Palakkad

കൊടുവായൂർ രഥോത്സവം 2025 | പാലക്കാട് കൊടുവായൂർ ക്ഷേത്രം | Koduvayur Ratholsavam 2025 | Koduvayur Temple Palakkad

Koduvayur is a small village in Palakkad. It was a trade commercial village from olden days. Brahmins from Thanjavoor and Kumbhakonam in Tamil Nadu has shifted here due to drought. They began to settle down in Agraharams and continued to follow their traditional art forms, music, Vedas and various other rituals and customs. Koduvayur ratholsavam or koduvayur theru is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Dhanu during thirvuthira naal at Sree Vishalkshi Sameth Viswanathaswamy temple. The temple has a 650 year old history connecting to its puranas and chariot festival. The temple has various myths regarding its origin.The villagers believe that Venkittarama Ayyer and his wife Leksmi Ammal from Kollengode brought a shiva linga after their visit to Kashi to Koduvayur. Later they built a temple and did the pratishta of shiva linga.

According to the temple priest, Sundaresha gurukkal, Lekshmi Ammal approached Ittikombi achan,the king of those times to hand over the administrative rights of the temple. Different deshams of the region contributed to the financial upliftment of the temple and revenue was made free for these desham. This custom was followed by other kings like Tipu Sultan and other British rulers. Even now the management of the temple is done by the Temple trustee.

Koduvayur Ratholsavam 2025 | Koduvayur Temple Palakkad

Koduyavur Ratholsavam is includes three Rathas passing through four surrounding villages. People from different regions of Palakad gather to participate in the festival. The proceedings begin with the Muhurthakaal Ceremony exactly 18 days before the festival, where a decorated bamboo is adored and erected on the south-west corner of the temple, depicting the beginning of the festival season. The whole village gets ready in the festive mood by cleaning their premises and decorating the households.The ritual of Grama Santi takes place at the twilight, which according to mythology, is intended to encage the bad spirits which are wandering around the village. After Gramashanthi, Dwajarohanam or kodiyettam or flag hoisting takes place in the next day.

This is the hoisting of the holy flag (dhwajam) in the Dhwajasthambam of the temple. Rudra abhishekam follows the next day early morning from 2 am till 7 am. Ardradarshanam is the next function in which thousands of devotees join.The ratharohanam occurs at nearly 6-7 am with the thousands of devotees gathered around the temple.Three idols or utsava moorthis revolve thrice around the temple and 9 times around the holy banyan tree and are adorned the respective chariots. The sounds of panchavadhyam, chendamelam and nadaswaram echoes with the mob dancing in joy.

EVENTS/PROGRAMS

• Muhurthakaal erection
• Grama Santhi
• Dwajarohanam
• Rudra abhishekam
• Ardradarshanam

Temple Location

📍 Koduvayur Temple, Keralapuram St Rd, Koduvayur - 678501, Palakkad district Kerala.

Accessibility

🏙️ Nearest Town/ Landmark/ Junction: Keralapuram Agrahatram Post office- 15 m

🚌 Nearest Bus Station: Koduvayur bus stop - 300 m

🚂 Nearest Railway Station: Pudunagaram railway station - 4.1 km

✈️ Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport- 71 km