The annual festival of the Anantheshwar Temple is the Chariot Festival. Ananteshwar Temple is situated in
Manjeswar, a small town near
Kasargod in northern
Kerala. The presiding deities of the temple are Shri Ananta, Shri Ishwar (
Shiva) and Lord Bhadra Narasimha (an incarnation of
Vishnu).
The annual car festival is held on the sixth day of the bright half of the month of November-December. This day is popularly known as
Skanda Shashti in south India and locally as Manjeswar Shashti. The six-wheeled chariot, known as Brahma Ratha, is made out of wood. It has a base of 17 ft, maximum girth of 53 ft and a height of 71 ft.
On the shashti, the chariot is decorated with flags, flowers and other accessories. The idol is kept on it and is pulled by thousands of people along the Car Street. The shouts of 'Govinda-Govinda' provide an involvement to all the people present there. About 75 people can be accommodated on the chariot. The custom is that the 'Ratharohan' or (taking the lord’s idol up into the chariot) must be completed before sunset.
