The annual 11 days Arattu festival of Koodalmanikyam Temple starts with flag hosting ceremony. Located at Irinjalakuda, around 21 km from Thrissur, Kerala, Koodalmanikyam Temple is renowned as the only temple in India dedicated to Lord Rama’s brother Lord Bharata. The annual Kudal Manikkam Festival starts one day after the famous Thrissur Pooram on the Uthram nakshatram and ends on Thiruvonam nakshartram.
Flag hosting of the Kudalmanikyam Arattu Festival is performed on the Uthram nakshatram in the month of Medam. Thidambu Ezhunnallathu (royal outing when the symbolic idol of the deity) is taken out in procession of caparisoned temple elephants is performed on all days of the festival in the morning and night. Seventeen caparisoned elephants takes part on the procession accompanied with Panchavadyam and Panchari Melam is a major attraction of Koodalmanikyam Festival. One unique feature of the Seeveli is that two baby elephants are included in the procession, one standing on each side of the main elephant carrying the deity.
Ashtapadi rhymns will be sung at the Sopana mandam daily in the morning and evening. Traditional cultural performing art forms of Kerala are conducted at the Koothambalam during the Arat festival at Koodalmanikyam Temple. Some of the major performing art forms conducted during the festival include Chakyar Koothu, Ottamthullal, Sheethangan Thullal, Kurathiyattam, and Nangiar Koothu. Thayambaka, Maddalam, and Nadaswaram performance adds beauty to the festival. Another major attraction is the Kathakali performance (the Classical Dance-Drama of Kerala) which starts at 12.00 in the mid-night from the 2nd day of the Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival.
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