The southern Kumbh Mela, which is as grand as the Kumbh Mela in Prayag, is being held in Coonoor.

According to Hindu mythology, the Mahakumbh of the South has begun in Kottiyur village of Coonoor district of Kerala. This 28-day festival is known as Vaishakh Mahotsav. Kottiyur is considered the Varanasi of the South, as there are many temples and rocks of religious importance here. This festival is celebrated on the banks of the Bavli river. The Kottiyur festival has as much religious importance as the Kumbh Mela of Prayagraj among the Hindus of South India. There is no permanent temple built at this place, but a structure with special energy called Yajna Bhoomi is prepared here from dry palm leaves. Various rituals are performed around it. Apart from this, the festive atmosphere is seen in two temples, Akare Kottiyur and Ikkare Kottiyur, located on the opposite banks of the Bavli river. It is believed that this Shiva temple has a self-existent linga. In this festival, which lasts for 28 days, many people believe and place a smooth round stone under a special pillar. After bathing in the river and using wet cloth, people offer coconut and ghee to the raw temple made of dry leaves as a yajna bhoomi and perform pradakshina around it.

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