Thookkam

Sree Bhadrakali Temple is located at Kollemcode Village which belongs to Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu. The village is beside the border area of Kerala.

There are two temples for Sree Bhadrakali. One is at Kollemcode and the other one at Venkanji. There are two deities(considered as sisters) ---- elder sister Bhadra and the youger Rudhra. Bhadra and Rudhra are worshipped at the same temple. 'Bharani' is the birthday of Sree Bhadrakali. Every month Bharani day is celebrated in grand manner. On the Bharani Day in the Meenam month (March or April) of every year 'Thookkam' Festival is celebrated. Lakhs of people from all over India participates in the function.

Thookkam is an offering by the devotees to Sree Bhadrakali. Wedded couples offer Thookkam for their children who are one year old or below. They offer Thookkam for Sree Bhadrakali when children were born without any major health issues by her grace.

Every year there would be more than 1200 Thookkams. The duration of the festival is 10 days. On the first day the Godess will be taken to Venkanji from Kollemcode. The diety will reside in venkani until the festival is over (10 days). The devotees should register their offering on the fourth day of the festival. The 10th day is the final day when the major festival called thookkam is conducted. The devotee will handover their child to a person(thookkakaran), who is hung by means of a hook at the end of the bow (Villu) of the cart. There are two bows made up of wood at a length of 45' each. Each carries two Thookkakarans, each Thookkakaran carries a child in his hand. In each cart there will be four children. The cart is pulled by people around the temple. Thookkam has to be seen in direct and its hard to explain the divine experience that is felt. The devotees offer gifts and money as compliments to the Thookkakaran.

All the necessary arrangements are made by the Devaswom Trust. The temple is under the control of Sree Bhadra Kali Devaswom Trust which consists of eleven elected members of eleven Nair families.

All the poojas and offerings are made by the Blacksmith poojaris who are appointed by the Devaswom Trust

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[girishbarodagirish]

very nice i realy feel too happy i am from this village now i am at gujarat

tnx to those people who created this website