Today, I want to share the touching story behind the Ashwathy Festival. Aswathy festival is the festival of pulling the chariot through waters.
The chariot houses deity Badrakali.
About 500 Years ago - This festival emerged from a period of profound struggle and despair. Coastal communities, battered by relentless floods and engulfed in cycles of poverty and misfortune, found themselves unable to celebrate cherished traditions like Onam and Christmas. Their lives, marked by hardship, seemed devoid of the joy and celebrations.
Amidst this backdrop of loss and challenge, the people of my Native Place, Karthikapally - Alappuzha introduced the Ashwathy Festival. It was born from a deep yearning for hope and a determination.
Over 11 days, and timed around Shivaratri, the festival became a symbol of resilience, a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Wooden Chariots are made at various places within the village and then taken to the Valiyakulangara Devi Temple dedicated to Badrakali.
The Lower Kuttanad (−2.7 m (−8.9 ft) below sea level) comprises of northern half of Karthikapally region which is my native place.
To see the pulling of wooden chariots through water is truly magical and a visual spectacle.
It’s so captivating that many international tourists come specifically to witness this extraordinary spectacle during Feb-March every year !
This Visual Spectacle is called "Kettukazhcha".
"Kettukazhcha" = Pulling of chariot through Waters,
Valiyakulangara Temple is dedicated to Goddess Badrakali ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiyakulangara_Devi_Temple Locally known as Valiya-Kulam-Gara Devi, the Goddess is revered as the divine presence residing on the banks of the big pond—her essence embodying grandeur and tranquility. Valiya - Translates to Big Kulam - Translates to Pond Gara - Translates to Banks
The chariot is being pulled from every part of the village through water upto the temple !
One of the chariots is being constructed on our property due to the ample space available. If you look at my grandfather’s home located at the left side in the below picture, you’ll see that my land is situated directly behind it. The chariot on the left side is actually being built on my cousin’s property.
Look at the JOY on his Face ; Black soil is prevalent here, and as you pull the chariot through waters, your body get covered with black soil.
Fear ; Anger and Frustration is not seen anywhere ! Fear, anger, and frustration arise when your energy interacts with another person’s energy whose wavelength and frequency do not align with your own.
Agree that everyone has a self that embodies inner peace and it is same ; but it's important to recognize that this self encompasses both a lower and a higher aspect. Some individuals operate predominantly from their lower self, spreading a lower vibrational frequency and wavelength around them. Perhaps It could be their Genetic Make Up ; When I am around such people, I often find myself needing to lower my own energy frequency, which can lead to frustration, anger, sadness, and fear eventually all this leads to emotional mental physical and sexual abuse.
True peace comes from not just internal harmony but also from the freedom to be around those who resonate at a similar wavelength and frequency.
In the video, you'll encounter a heartfelt explanation of the festival, paired with a deeply moving song. It beautifully illustrates how the people of Karthikapally-Alappuzha celebrate with a spirit of abundance, even in the face of relentless natural calamities. Their resilience and joy shine through, offering a powerful testament to their unending hope and strength.
Aswathy Festival today is an International Festival !
It stands as a powerful reminder that, even in our darkest moments, we can create light and celebrate the promise of a better tomorrow.
They say all women embody the qualities of Goddess Lakshmi, symbolizing prosperity and abundance. Yet, due to my unmarried status, especially between 2015 and 2019, I was often reduced to a symbol of scarcity. Between February 2024 and July 2024, the perception that I represented scarcity intensified. ; I was subjected to mockery and bullying, reducing me to little more than a mere object to be priced and negotiated. They tried to undermine my spirit, reducing me to a mere symbol of scarcity. Iam sure these men and also women got married by keeping a baby on the table for negotiation.
Around the same time ; In Feb - Mar 2024, something truly extraordinary unfolded in my life—an event that stands in stark contrast to the attempts by some men to diminish my self-worth through negotiation.
Valiyakulangara - Badrakali Shakti Temple in my hometown, Alappuzha, Kerala, reached out to me and my mother with a heartfelt request: They wished to use my land for Annadanam ; a place for devotees to sit and have meals—for 11 days during the auspicious period of Ashwathy.
This coincidence was more than just timing; it felt like a profound message from a higher power, a divine intervention that reaffirmed my belief in the Law of Nature. It was as if the universe was showing me that my true worth cannot be defined by others' attempts to place a price tag on me.
Being mindful means cultivating relationship with people whose energy levels—wavelength and frequency—align with your own. When you encounter with people with a scarcity mindset, you will be forced to adopt that mindset as well. It's important to be mindful of such influences.
In the face of fears of scarcity and lack, I felt the universe pulling me back into a state of abundance, reaffirming that my spirit is unshakable and my worth immeasurable.
To those who tried to brand me as someone whose SELF-WORTH could be diminished by a price tag, ; know this: your efforts have been met with a powerful counterpoint.
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