Aranmula Village - Kerala
Aranmula, a beautiful village on the banks of the holy river Pampa in Pathanamthitta district of Southern Kerala, is a place of pilgrimage for many devotees. It is also the site of the famous ‘Uthrittathy Vallamkali ‘ (Snake Boat Race), the only one of its kind in the world.
The village is typical of rural Kerala and offers a simple life with paddy fields, rubber plantations and coconut groves. The local administration has taken the task of solid waste management seriously, making Aranmula not just beautiful but very clean as well. There is a lot to keep you engaged in the village itself, the region is rich in temples, churches and an elephant training centre.
The Aranmula Boat Race (Uthrittathy Vallamkali) which has been taking place since the 14th century, is organized during the Onam festival during the month of August/September. This interesting race is held at Pampa Lake. It is a two-day event and has a very intriguing legend behind the celebration.
The Parthasarathi Temple situated in Aranmula is dedicated to Parthasarathy or Lord Krishna. This temple dates back to the days of the Mahabharata and is one of the oldest temples in South India.
'Aranmula Kannadi' or Aranmula metal mirror is a special type of mirror produced only in Aranmula. Aranmula metal mirror is a precious inherited gift. The mystery of its production is a family gift handed over through generations. Indeed, the ancient art of making metal mirrors is still practiced, without modification, by a few family-based artisans in Aranmula.
If any object is paced against this mirror, it gives a clear undistorted and exact image of the same, as the reflection comes from the front side of the mirror. On the other hand in the normal mirror the image falls on the mercury coated rear surface and hence the image is refracted and distorted. The manufacture of Aranmula Kannadi has been a zealously guarded secret of a handful of these surviving artisans.
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