Devotees pull a decorated chariot carrying a deity through the streets on the second day of the annual Kalpathy Chariot Festival in Palakkad on Saturday. The festival culminates on Sunday evening with a festive gathering of all the cars. | Photo credit: KK Mustafah
The Kalpathy crowd will reach its peak on Sunday evening when elaborately decorated cars from the four major temples converge at Therumutty, signaling the grand finale of the 10-day Kalpathy Car Festival.
The confluence of chariots, each carrying its own deity, outside the Sree Visalakshi Sameta Viswanatha Swamy Temple, locally known as Rathasangamam, is expected to draw the biggest crowds. Although the Chariot Gathering was not traditionally a major religious event, media coverage in recent years has added importance to it.
On Saturday, the historic lanes of Kalpathy buzzed with excitement as the chariots of Sree Visalakshi Samet Viswanath Swamy Temple and Manthakkarai Maha Ganapathy Temple pulled through the streets. Thousands of residents and visitors greeted the deities with reverence and sought blessings as the procession passed by.
Apart from Sree Visalakshi Sameta Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Kalpathy and Mandakkarai Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple, New Kalpathy, the other two temples involved in the festival are Sree Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple, Old Kalpathy, and Sree Prasanna Maha Ganapathy Temple, Chathapuram.
On Sunday morning, the chariots of Sree Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple and Sree Prasanna Maha Ganapathy Temple will set off after mounting their respective deities. After completing their designated routes, all the chariots of the four temples assemble at Therumutty.
Published – 15 Nov 2025 21:04 IST
