Erumeli Petta Thullal is a ritual dance performed by devotees as part
of their pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Erumeli is small village situated 56km
from Kottayam. At the Petta junction of Erumeli, there is a Sastha temple
(Kochambalam) and mosque (Vavarambalam) facing each other. Pilgrims on
their way to Sabarimala, gather here in groups to participate in Petta
thullal. It is a frenzied dance with chanting of Ayyappa mantras and hymns,
accompanied by loud music created by traditional instruments. Prior to
Petta Thullal, the pilgrims smear colour on their faces and bodies and
dress like forest-dwellers.
Also known as Petta Kettu, Petta Thullal starts from the kochambalam
and the dancers proceed to the Mosque, in the name of Vavar, who was a
close friend of Ayyappan, to pay their homage. They are ceremonially received
there and goes around the mosque. A representative of Vavar Swamy will
then accompany the group to the big temple (Valiambalam) which is about
a kilometre away. Petta Thullal comes to an end after going around the
the big temple. The devotees wash their bodies in the small river nearby
and go to Sabarimala.
Petta Thullal takes place almost everyday from the 1st of the malayalam
month of Vrichikam (around November) till a couple of days prior to the
Sabarimala temple closing on January.