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Kottangal
Census village
Kottangal is located in Kerala
Kottangal
Kottangal
Location in Kerala
Kottangal is located in India
Kottangal
Kottangal
Location in India
Country  India
State Kerala
District Pathanamthitta
Area
 • Total 23.08 km2 (8.91 sq mi)
Population
 • Total 17,174
 • Density 744.11/km2 (1,927.2/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration KL-28 (Mallappally)
Literacy 97.18%

Kottangal is a village located in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, India. It is part of the Kottangal gram panchayat, which is a local self-governing body. This village is situated in the Mallappally area. As of 2011, Kottangal had a population of 17,174 people.

The famous Kottangal Devi Temple is in this village. It is well-known for its special Padayani performances. Padayani is a traditional art form dedicated to the Hindu goddess Bhadrakali. This unique performance is mostly found in the Central Travancore region of Kerala.

People and Population

In 2011, the village of Kottangal had 17,174 residents. For every 1000 males, there were 1092 females. This is known as the sex ratio. About 9.38% of the total population were children under six years old.

The people of Kottangal are very good at reading and writing. The total literacy rate was 97.18%. This means almost everyone can read and write. For males, it was 97.52%, and for females, it was 96.87%. This rate is higher than both the average for Kerala state (94%) and the national average for India (74.04%).

Culture and Traditions

Kottangal is a place rich in culture. Its most famous tradition is the Kottangal Padayani.

What is Kottangal Padayani?

Kottangal Padayani is a special traditional dance and ritual. It is performed for 28 days during January and February. This time is known as Makara Bharani. The performances happen every year at the Kottangal Devi Temple. This temple is located where the Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts meet. The last eight days of the festival are very important. During these days, different Kolams (large mask-like figures) and other traditional programs are performed.

The Padayani is performed by two main groups, called karas. These are Kottangal and Kulathoor. The last eight days of the festival are split equally between these two groups, with four days for each. The final two days are called Valiya Padayani (Big Padayani). These days are the most important for both karas. They perform their programs in a friendly competition.

Padayani Performances

On the evenings of the last two days, there are beautiful processions. The main programs include:

  • Vela Kali: A traditional dance.
  • Adavi: A ritual performance.
  • Pallippana: A special song and dance.
  • Vellam Kudi: A ritual involving water.
  • Vinodam: Humorous skits.
  • Kolam Thullal: The dance of the Kolams.

The Kolams are large, colorful mask-like figures worn by performers. Some of the Kolams you might see in the Padayani are:

  • Ganapathi Kolam
  • Kuthira (Horse)
  • Bhairavi
  • Sundara Yakshi (Beautiful Spirit)
  • Araki Yakshi (Demon Spirit)
  • Marutha
  • Pakshi (Bird)
  • Kalamadan
  • Kalan Kolam
Padayani Bhairavi 64 paala preformance
A performer wearing the Bhairavi Kolam during a Padayani performance.
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