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Aranmula possesses all the attributes of rural Kerala. The local artisans engage in traditional crafts such as the Aranmula metal mirror, the mural paintings or the construction of boats which are taken to the river Pampa for the annual Palliyodam boat race. Several Institutions have been built up over the years to protect and energise the local culture and arts in Aranmula. What is unique to Aranmula is the fact that the people living here practice this culture and it is a part of their everyday life. One of the best ways to understand culture is to study traditional arts, crafts and language of the region. The Vijnana Kala Vedi in Aranmula offers this opportunity and is doing a magnificent service in promoting Kerala culture. It was set up in 1977 by Ms Louba Schild of France with assistance from UNESCO and the Governments of India and Kerala. She came to Kerala in 1968 and learnt to perform Kathakali. Her wish to share her experiences with others around the world prompted her to set up this unique centre. Since then it has grown into a popular centre fostering and promoting Indian culture. Here you can learn two subjects from the list of 18 arts, crafts, languages and sciences. One visitor said that she came to Aranmula empty handed and left with a heart filled with music, arts and Indian culture. The Vastu Vidya Gurukulam has taken a keen interest in traditional architecture and mural art painting and has helped to revive the latter in the region. The Palliyoda Seva Sangam is a membership based organisation with two members from each of the 42 villages that own a palliyodam (snake boat). The PSS are responsible for the annual snake boat race that takes place on the day of the Uthruttadi star in Chingam month (usually between 15 August and 20 September). They have set up a museum in Aranmula to showcase models of boats, trophies won, photographs of famous guests, etc. They have a video of the annual boat race for guests who are unable to attend the boat race. The traditional songs (vanchipaattu) that are sung by the oarsmen have been recorded and can be bought at the museum. The boat itself has a lot of history behind it and is a repository of several of the popular Indian myths. It is believed that its design was made by Lord Krishna, the reigning deity at the Aranmula Parthasarathy temple. The Lord is supposed to have arrived at the shore on a raft made of six bamboos, giving the village its name – Aranmula or Six Bamboos. The Parthasarathy temple has several 18th century murals inside and is the most famous of the Pancha Pandava temples in the region. The image of Krishna here is believed to have been worshipped by Arjuna himself. (Heroes from the Mahabharata, one of India’s oldest epics) The Pampa Parirakshana Samiti was set up to help those living on its banks understand how much their lives are connected to that of the River Pampa and therefore, the urgent need to protect it. The PPS have been working especially with children to get them to take up the cudgels on behalf of the River. Sit on the banks of the River and you get a cross sectional view of life in the Pampa Valley. You begin to get a feel of how important this river is in the life of Aranmula. The Aranmula Gram Panchayat (elected local administration) has taken the task of solid waste management very seriously making Aranmula not just beautiful but very clean as well. It has initiated a programme not just to minimise waste and to manage it, but to aim at zero waste within Aranmula. Everything that is discarded by one person is made into compost, reused or recycled by another person ensuring that there is minimal impact on the ecology of the region. The most famous of the temples here is the Sabarimala temple (85 km from Aranmula) which is open for five days every month and then for 72 days from November to January. The faith of the pilgrims helps them to walk up the hill of 900 m carrying their own food. Pilgrims from all over India are to be found visiting this famous temple with no bar on caste, creed, colour or religion. However, wAranmula lies in the banks of the river Pampa in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. This village is famous for its metal mirror, whose secrets are known only to two families. Enchanting boat races, Sree Parthasarathy temple, Vaastu Vidya Gurukulam and Kathakali academy are other well known attractions. Nearly three fourth of Aranmula's population is dependent on agriculture. Its culture and economy is intertwined with the river Pampa the lifeline that flows through the village. Every year tourists from Australia, Canada, England, Switzerland, other European points and other parts of the country reach Aranmula to taste the quintessential rural lifestyle of Kerala. This village is fast growing as a centre of Kerala's Vastu architecture, cultural art forms, and traditional crafts. It's be an innovative addition to the array of tourism in the State. Another attraction is the Vijnana Kala Vedi Cultural Centre, founded in 1977 by Ms Louba Schild, a French artist who has been living in Kerala since 1968. The centre aims to provide foreign artists, researchers and culturally oriented tourists with opportunities to become acquainted with the culture and arts of India, preserve the traditional arts and crafts of Kerala in their natural and spiritual context, and to foster the artistic education of youngsters in Kerala. The Centre welcomes visitors from all countries, of any age and profession, for shorter or long-term stays.

Art and Craft :

The famous 'Aranmula Kannadi', the metal mirrors are made in this village by the traditional artisans. This is a unique art which is currently probably not practiced anywhere else in the world. Some seven families still make the metal mirrors using a closely guarded mix of metals. Gopan, one of the artisans, will be happy to explain the entire process to you. A video has been prepared so that you can share this magic with your family and friends back home, along with, of course, the mirror itself. While we admire the intricacy of the paintings, the Mural Art Gallery set up by the Vastu Vidhya Gurukulam, helps us to understand the process and rituals that go into each painting as the brush and natural colours are prepared, the outline drawn and several brush strokes go over each line to come up with ethereal paintings. These paintings were initially only seen on the walls of temples. The Gallery has ensured that they can now be admired by a wider audience. The Gurukulam has also initiated the painting of murals at the Bhagavathy temple in Kadamanitta 12 km away from Aranmula one can see this ancient art being still practiced.

Culture : Cuisine: The staple food of the people of Kerala is rice, accompanied by a host of vegetables and a variety of pulses. The most enjoyed potages are 'Sambar' and 'Avayal'. Fish is common fair in the Malayalam cuisine. Fairs and festivals: One of the most important events is the Aranmula Boat festival, which is connected with the annual Onam festival of Kerala. This boat festival - Aranmula Uthruttadi boat race - has grown into a great international event in India. The Snake boat pageantry is held as a part of the anniversary celebrations of the 'Idol' installation of Aranmula Parthasarathy temple, believed to have been held centuries ago on the 1st calendar month of the Malayalam Era. This legendary festival is a great annual event of central Travancore. It has no parallel as it is commemorative of an ancient tradition rooted about 600 years in history. The birthday of Krishna falls on the eighth day after the full moon in August, when the star Rohini is sighted. This is celebrated in a grand manner as Krishna is the main deity at several of the temples in the region. Most of the snake boats will come by river to worship at the Aranmula Parthasarathy temple and it is a grand sight. The Kerala New Year called Vishu follows the solar calendar and usually occurs on 14th or 15th April. Most families start the New Year by opening their eyes to a decoration made the previous evening containing all things good and sweet such as pictures of Gods, gold, sweets, flowers, etc. The biggest festival of the region is of course when Sabarimala is open for 72 days between November and January. Given the large Christian population, Christmas and Easter are also celebrated with a lot of fun and gaiety. As with the Hindu festivals, prayer and tradition are important. And again, just the cuisine is worth participating in any of these festivals! Dance The Vijnana Kala Vedi Cultural Centre has kept alive various art forms including dance traditions in Aranmula. The Centre organises regular performances as well as classes on dance forms such as Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Bharatanatyam and the dance like martial arts form, Kalaripayattu