Vrischikolsavam at Thripunithura: What Happens Each Day, and When to Go
An eight-day temple festival with 15 elephants, Panchari melam twice a day and Kathakali every night. Which days to go, timings, and how to reach.
Vrischikolsavam is the eight-day annual festival of the Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple in Thripunithura, held in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam, which falls in November and December. In all, 15 caparisoned elephants are stationed at the temple, the deity is taken out in procession twice a day to Panchari melam, and Kathakali is staged every night. It is the temple's main festival and is said to open Kerala's temple festival season. If you can only go once, go on the fourth night, Thrikketta Purappadu, or the seventh, Valiavilakku.
- When is Vrischikolsavam in 2026?
- What happens on each day?
- What is the story behind the Poornathrayeesa temple?
- What is the dress code for Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple?
- How do you get there from Kochi?
When is Vrischikolsavam in 2026?
The festival follows the Malayalam calendar, so the Gregorian dates move every year. Keep this box as the only year-specific part of this guide.
| Year | Dates listed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 to 14 December | Welcome Kerala festival listing |
We could not find an official temple notice for 2026, so check with the temple office before you plan a day around a specific ritual.
What happens on each day?
Every day follows the same rhythm: a morning procession called seeveli, which usually starts around 7.30am except on the final day, and an evening procession, vilakku ezhunnallippu, which starts around 8.30pm on the first three days and around 7pm on the next four. Both move inside the temple complex with the elephants and Panchari melam, and the town's reputation as one of the best places to hear Panchari is earned here. Around them run Thayambaka, music concerts, Ottanthullal and Kathakali, which is staged every night.
- Day 4, Thrikketta Purappadu: held at night on the Thrikketta star. The idol is carried on a decorated tusker surrounded by 14 elephants. The first kanikka, the money offering, is made at the aanakkottil, the elephant shed, by the eldest member of the Kochi royal family, followed by the family and then the public. In our view, this is the night to pick if you can only manage one.
- Day 7, Valiavilakku: the biggest evening procession, starting around 7pm and running five to six hours.
- Eve of day 8, Pallivetta: the ritual hunt.
- Day 8, Aarattu: the idol leaves for its ceremonial bath, starting with panchavadyam and ending at the temple tank of the Siva temple at Chakkamkulangara.
Members of the Kochi royal family traditionally watch the processions from the Thattumaalika, a balcony over the southern courtyard. Be warned: the evening crowds on the big nights are dense and slow, the inner courtyard fills early, and there is little room to stand once the elephants are in line. Arrive before the procession, not for it.
What is the story behind the Poornathrayeesa temple?
The deity is Vishnu as Santhanagopala Murthy, seated on the serpent Ananthan, and he is believed to bless childless couples with children. The temple was the national deity of the old Kingdom of Cochin and the foremost of its royal temples; Thripunithura was the kingdom's former capital, which is also why the town has the Hill Palace. Legend links the temple to Arjuna of the Mahabharata. A major fire damaged the temple in 1920.
What is the dress code for Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple?
We could not find the temple's own written rule online. Many Kerala temples expect men to wear a mundu or dhoti and to enter without a shirt, as Guruvayur does, and traditional wear for women. That is the safest way to dress, but it is not this temple's published rule, so if unsure, ask at the gate before you queue.
How do you get there from Kochi?
The temple is at Kottakakom in Thripunithura, about 2km from Thripunithura railway station and roughly 33km from Cochin International Airport, according to Kerala Tourism. The Kochi Metro now runs to Thripunithura, which makes the evening trip far easier than driving and hunting for parking in narrow streets on festival nights. Our Thripunithura neighbourhood guide covers the town around it, and the wider year of temple festivals is in our Kochi festivals calendar. More ideas in Things To Do.
Written By
Haila Kochi Editorial Team
Part of the Haila Kochi editorial team, covering the food, business, lifestyle, and people that make Kochi what it is.
