Vallanghy-Nenmara vela

Nenmara is a rural village located from a driving of around 24.8 km from Nelliyampathy. The village has been divided into two areas as Nemmara and Vallangi. The place is popular among the tourists for the seasonal Vela Festival, also known as the Nemmara-Vallangi Vela. Another famous festival in the nearby place is the Thrissur Pooram that is celebrated after the paddy harvesting.


Vallanghy-Nenmara vela festival is one of the major temple celebrations in Kerala. Nenmara is located 24 km south from Nelliyampathy in Palakkad district. Nenmara and Vallanghy villages lies in the valley of Nelliyampathy Hills. The festival is celebrated to memorize the birthday of the local temple goddess Nellikulangara Bhagavathy. Usually the celebration took place on Malayalam month of Meenam 20. The nearby places also has the right to participate in this vela festival. Pallavur, Aylur, Melarcode, Elavanchery, Kudalur, Cheramangalam are the nearby places that join in this festival.

The background works for this festival will start well before six months. Foreign tourists and people from different parts of India visit here to see this festival. Vedikettu, Panchavadyam, Melam, Elephants, Aanapanthal, Kudamattam are the main highlights which gives more importance to this festival than others. Vedikketu uses large amount of fireworks. Thus it becomes one of the special item and is liked by Poora Premikal (Malayalam word for those who like temple festivals of Kerala). Panchavadyam and melam adds the musical rythm to the festival.

The main events of Vallanghy-Nenmara vela are following:

4.00AM Mahaganapathi homam
5.00AM Prathyaksha Mahaganapathi homam
5.30AM Thidampu pooja
9.30AM Eeduvedi 11 Keli, Kombu payatte, Kuzhal Payatte
11.30AM Kolam Kayattal
11.30AM Panchavadhyam Starts at Shiva Kshetram
4.00PM Pandimelam starts at Aanapanthal
4.30PM Nellikulangara Kavu kayaral (Nellikulangara temple)
6.00PM Nellikulangara kavu irangal
6.30PM Vedikettu
8.30PM Thayambaka
10.30PM Kommbu payattu, Kuzhal payattu
11.00PM Kolam kayattal
11.05PM Panchavadhyam at Shiva Kshetram

The main elephants of the festival are following.

1. Mangalamkunne Ayyappan
2. Mangalamkunne Ganapathy
3. Thiruvanikkav Rajagopalan
4. Mangalamkune Sharan Ayyappan
5. Chembuthara Devidasan
6. Mangalamkunne Ganesan
7. Idakunni Arjunan
8. Konark Ganapathi
9. Mullathe Ganapathi
10.Paranur Nandan
11.Peringathara Rajan

Click here for Route map to this place.