Fast Facts :

Celebrated in : Kerala

Celebrated through : All the festivals

Renowned for : Ritual motorcade of 50 Elephants.

Held During : February-March

Paripally which is located at a distance of 48 kms from the north side of Thiruvananthapuram is well-known for the Gajamela or the Elephant pageant, where over fifty elephants are out on the 10th day of the festival for the ritual demonstration. So it is called as the Paripally Gajamela, no festival here is comprehensive without the Gajamela. The calm massive is reserved like accorded and divinity and takes the opportunity of seeing several goddesses and gods of the land.Some time ago the families which were well-versed in Kerala regarded the elephant that they owned as one of the member of the family.

The majority of the festivals like the vela and pooram is the most excellent time where you can watch the elephants in all the caparisoned splendour. The elephants are colorfully decked up and the elephants in the number of ten to fifteen are lined up in the premises of the temple. With drivers on their top, carrying elevated clinquant silk parasols (muthukuda) and influential white tufts (venchamaram) and peacock feathered fans (aalavattom) dance to the tempo of the orchestra of the temple.

The Paripally Gajamela is accompanied  through the Panchavadyam this is the musical instrument which is traditional and five in number, this works up to a passion as the kudamattam which is the ritual parasots which controls and stops the tuskers and also gathers speed. Another thing that is practiced here is the elephant offerings to the deity known as Nercha; this is done through the lovers. Throughout the days of the festival cultural programmes are held, which is devoted to the goddesses Bhadrakaali.