Ochira Kali

Ochira Kali is a unique ritualistic dance performed annually at the Ochira Parabrahma Temple in Kollam, Kerala. Held during the first two days of the Malayalam month of Mithunam (mid-June), it commemorates a historic battle between the medieval kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Ambalapuzha. The festival takes place on the vast Padanilam (battlefield), where participants—trained in the martial art of Kalaripayattu—engage in mock sword and shield duels while standing in knee-deep water. Unlike typical temple festivals, it is celebrated in an open field without a formal sanctum sanctorum, symbolizing a deep spiritual connection to nature and history.