Oachira facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oachira
Dakshina kashi
|
|
|---|---|
|
town
|
|
 Oachira
Location in Kerala
Oachira
Location in India
|
|
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Kollam |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN |
690547
|
| Telephone code | 0476 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-02& KL23 |
| Nearest city | Kollam (32 km) |
| Lok Sabha Constituency | Alappuzha |
| Legislative Assembly | Karunagapally (Kollam District) |
| Climate | good weather all seasons (Köppen) |
Oachira is an old temple town in the Kollam district of Kerala, India. It is about 36 kilometers (22 miles) from Kollam city. Oachira is located in the Karunagappally area and sits right on the border of the Kollam and Alappuzha districts, next to National Highway 66.
Contents
A Special Temple Town
Oachira is a very famous holy place in Kerala and India. It is known for the ParaBrahma Temple. This temple is dedicated to Para Brahman, which means the Universal Consciousness. The temple area is huge, covering 36 acres of land.
What makes Oachira temple special is that it welcomes everyone. People of all backgrounds and beliefs are welcome here. Near the town, there is also the Oachira North Muslim Masjid, which is another important historical building.
A unique thing about the Oachira Temple is that it does not have a main idol inside a building. Instead, the statues of the gods are placed under large banyan trees. The special offering given at the temple is holy mud, which many believe has healing powers. The temple also has a long tradition of Annadanam, which means offering free food to those in need.
Exciting Festivals
Oachira hosts two main yearly festivals that are full of energy and tradition.
Oachira Kali
Oachira Kali is a festival held in June or July. It remembers a big battle that happened long ago between the rulers of Travancore and Kayamkulam on the plains of Oachira. During the festival, groups of men dress up as warriors. They perform a mock (pretend) fight in knee-deep water. They wave swords and shields, splashing water everywhere. It's a very lively sight! A large cattle fair also takes place during this festival.
Panthrandu Vilakku (Twelve Lamps) Festival
The "Panthrandu Vilakku" festival is one of the most important events at Oachira Parabrahma Temple. It happens in November or December. "Panthrandu Vilakku" means "Twelve Lamps." For the first twelve days of the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam, hundreds of pilgrims stay in small huts on the temple grounds. They follow religious traditions during this time.
Thousands of people visit the temple during this festival. There are many religious talks and meetings by scholars and leaders. In the evenings, there are cultural shows by famous artists. It's a truly refreshing experience for everyone who visits.
Irupathiyettam Onam
Another festival celebrated here is "Irupathiyettam Onam." This festival is considered the Onam for cows and bulls. It celebrates the importance of agriculture in the Onattukara region.
Staying in Oachira
The temple has two guest houses for visitors. One of them, called 'Omkaram,' is new and has 102 rooms. These rooms have modern facilities to make pilgrims comfortable.
Getting to Oachira
Oachira is easy to reach:
- By Air: The closest airports are Trivandrum International Airport (about 98 km away) and Cochin International Airport (about 135 km away).
- By Train: The nearest train station is Ochira railway station, just 1.5 km from town. Kayamkulam Junction Railway Station is 7 km away, and many major express trains stop there.
- By Road: Oachira is located right next to National Highway 66.
Oachira is also the gateway to the main center of Mata Amritanandamayi Math at Vallikkavu, which is only 3 km away.
Education in Oachira
RVSM Higher Secondary School in Prayar is the oldest and largest school in the Oachira area. It started in 1909 and offers education from kindergarten up to pre-university levels. Oachira Govt. Higher Secondary School is another important school. There is also Pragathi Hindi Vidyalay, a Hindi college in the region.
Places to Visit Near Oachira
- Oachira Parabrahma Temple
- Azheekal Beach
- Krishnapuram Palace
Famous People from Oachira
- Abdul Sathar Kunju, a former Police Chief of Kerala.
- Cartoonist Shankar, a well-known political cartoonist.
- K. P. Nambiathiri, a cinematographer famous for 3-D films.
- K. Surendran, a Malayalam writer and award winner.
- Ochira Velukkutty, an early Indian dramatist in Malayalam theatre.
- S. Guptan Nair, a Malayalam writer, critic, and scholar.
- S. Ramachandran Pillai, a political leader.
See also
In Spanish: Oachira para niños
