Night Vedikkettu of Nenmara Desam 2007 Contractor Sri. Thiruvegappura Shankaranarayanan Nair...Vedikkettu of Nenmara Desam 2007
Nemmara is known far and wide for its 'Vela' festival known as Nemmara-Vallangi Vela. Vela is a festival celebrated in the villages of Palakkad district in summer, after the harvests. The prominent crop in these areas is paddy. After harvest, the fields are empty and dry, and this is the time for Vela. Nemmara Vela is celebrated on a grand scale, equalling the famous 'Trissur Pooram'. The festival is believed to be the birthday of the presiding deity of the village temple or the memory of a major event like the killing of a demon by the goddess.
The Vela falls on the 20th day of 'Meenam', the month in the Malayalam era
The festival attracts a lot of people not only from the nearby areas, but from the neighbouring districts of Trissur and Malappuram and from Tamil Nadu. Some foreign tourists are also seen usually. The TV channels telecast the festival live.
The finale of the festival is the display of fireworks. It is indeed a magnificent show, with both sides vying to get the upper hand. New techniques are tried every year to bring out the best performance. The quality and quantity of the fireworks are discussed by the people for many days after the event.
Another attraction of the festival is the Aana Pandal which is an arch-like structure, where the caparisoned elephants are made to remain for some time. It is fully decorated with coloured electric lamps, which give different patterns of light, when switched on. The switching on of the 'Pandal' on the previous day of the festival is a grand occasion for the local people.
