Panchayath/ Municipality/ Kolazhy Grama Panchayat Corporation LOCATION District Thrissur Nearest Town/ Thrissur – 5 km Landmark/ Junction Nearest Bus statio Thrissur K S R T C Bus Stand – 6.7 km Nearest Railway Thrissur Railway Station – 7.1 km statio ACCESSIBILITY Nearest Airport Cochin International Airport – 58.2 km Poovani Shiva Temple Poovani Siva Kshethram Charitable Trust Kolazhy, Thrissur, Kerala 680581 Phone: 0487 2205020 CONTACT Website: http://poovanisivatemple.in/ DATES FREQUENCY DURATION TIME February - March Annually 3 Days ABOUT THE FESTIVAL (Legend/History/Myth) The legend of this temple starts from Mahabharatha Yudham. After Mahabharatha Yudham, Arjuna went to Himalaya, on the way he met Lord Shiva in Kattala Vesham (Tribal man), who came to test Arjuna. After testing Arjuna, Lord Shiva gave him 5 Shivalingas. Three of them were placed in Thrissur, and then he moved towards North and reached a place and kept the remaining Shivalingas in the ground and went to take a bath in the river. When he came back, he tried to take the Shivalinga with much effort. But he couldn’t do it. Then, as a last effort Arjuna said “Pova Unni” and pulled the Shivalinga. Suddenly he heard a voice “Poku Unni”. By understanding the meaning, he started worshipping the Shivalinga there and asked the Namboodiris nearby to do the daily poojas and rituals. Thus the place got its name Poovani. Then the temple came under Paliyam Devaswom finally. After that the devotees came forward and took the administration of the temple. Sivarathri festival is celebrated Local Approximately 100 RELEVANCE- NO. OF PEOPLE (Local / National / International) PARTICIPATED EVENTS/PROGRAMS DESCRIPTION (How festival is celebrated) The temple is decorated with flowers and coconut leaves. Special poojas Special poojas and rituals will be carried out during the festival. The devotees undergo fasting on the previous day Cultural programs and come to temple in the early morning. They will not sleep during the Shivarathri day and will stay in the temple premises during the festival days. There will be many cultural programs conducted in the temple as a part of the festival. .