Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor

Neelamperoor Pooram Padayani is an old Dravidian ritual offering to the Kali Mother Goddess. This great cultural and religious event of central Kerala is celebrated during September-October at Neelamperoor, a village near to Kottayam. This Padayani is celebrated in the Palli Bhagavathi Temple, which has a history of more than 1000 years.

The colorful festival exhibits kolamkettu (the making of effigies), which is performed by carrying the effigies followed by a procession. Decorated motifs of swans as tall as 45 feet high accompanied by traditional drums and cymbals are carried in the procession. The colors of the motif decoration are taken from natural materials like leaves, flower petals and parts of the coconut trees.