Uthrasreebali Festival- Thiruvalla

 The Sree Vallabha temple is situated in  Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta District. The Uthraseebali festival is celebrated for one day on the Makayiram asterism in Meenam (The Bhagavathies from the near temples (Thiru Alamthuruthi, Padappadu, Karunattukavu) will proceed to the Thiruvalla Sreevallabha Temple on the eighth day of the festival falling on Uthram day. It is believed that these Bhagavathies are the sisters of Sreevallabhan. Their entries to the Sreevallabha Temple is through the north gate which is opened only once in a year to permit their entry.

Sreevallabha temple is one of the most important pilgrim centre for Vaishnavites all over India. Kathakali, the classical dance of Kerala, is performed almost all nights in this temple as offerings by devotees. Many foreigners here comes and research about Kathakali. It is interesting to note that the name Tiruvalla comes from the word "Thiru Valla Vazh", named after the river Manimala which was known as Valla puzha, suggesting that Tiruvalla was the mouth of river Manimala and hence was known as Valla vai(vai in old malayalam means mouth of river).Because of this Sri Vallabha temple was called "Thiru Vallavayappan" which later reformed as "Sri Vallabhan" Thiru Vallabha temple,

                Annually two festivals are held, one in February - March and another in March - April. The Sree Vallaba Temple governed a Vedic School with one thousand students and one hundred teachers. A granite pillar carved out of single piece with an image of Garuda on its top stands in front of the temple. The pillar, which serves as a flag staff, is 60ft high and is made of granite.

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church, Niranam

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church, Niranam (Niranam Valiapally) , is a parish under the Niranam diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. This church was founded by St. Thomas (Mar Thoma), the Apostle of Jesus Christ, in AD 54.

St Thomas reached Kerala in AD 52 and started preaching the gospel. He founded 8 churches, which are called 'Ezhara Pallikal', meaning seven and half churches. These were at Kodungallur, Kollam, Niranam, Nilackal (Chayal), Kokkamangalam, Kottakkayal (Paravoor), Palayoor (Chattukulangara) and Thiruvithamkode (the half church). St. Thomas who had great respect for the Holy Virgin, named all these churches after St. Mary. At Niranam, St. Thomas baptised many people and ordained people with social eminence as priests, to administer the church.

common flower

Cocount Trees

Yammarkulangara Temple Festival

The deity in Yammar Kulangara  templeis Lord Ganapathy, this is the only Temple in Kerala that has no other Deities.This is situated in Peringara, Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta Dist. in Kerala.
Ganapati known as Ganesha,Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Vinayaka (Sanskrit), and Pillaiyar (Tamil) is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India.
Although he is known by many other attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him particularly easy to identify.Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstaclesand more generally as Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles (Vighnesha (Sanskrit) patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom.He is honoured at the beginning of rituals and ceremonies and invoked as Patron of Letters during writing sessions.
Though Ganesha is popularly held to be the son of Shiva and Parvati, the Puranic myths give different versions about his birth. He may have been created by Shiva, or by Parvati, or by Shiva and Parvati, or appeared mysteriously and was discovered by Shiva and Parvati.
 The family includes his brother Kartikeya, who is also called Subramanya, Skanda, Murugan and other names.
 Ganesha's marital status, the subject of considerable scholarly review, varies widely in mythological stories. One pattern of myths identifies Ganesha as an unmarried (brahmacari). Another pattern associates him with the concepts of Buddhi (intellect), Siddhi (spiritual power), and Riddhi (prosperity); these qualities are sometimes personified as goddesses, said to be Ganesha's wives.