People
The people of Kollam are known for leading a simple lifestyle, continuing from past many years. They give a lot of importance to education and make sure that they follow their ancient traditions. They make it a point that they transform their culture to their future generations. Like Kerala, this city has also achieved 100 percent literacy, resulting in lowest infant mortality rate. The Health care sector is on top priority. The locals, who are descendants of the Dravidians, are extremely proud of their traditional, heritage and culture and are mainly religious in nature.
Clothing
Saree is the traditional dress of Kollam women while the men in Kollam wear ‘Kasavu Mundu’, a 3 to 4 meter long cotton cloth with a silk border. Although ‘Lungi’ is the informal dress of men but in the past few years other western outfits are also being worn by both women and men.
Tribes
Knnaikkar is the major tribal group that resides in the forest areas of Kollam, who can boast of following a rich cultural heritage. Agriculture is their main source of livelihood. People of the Knnaikkar tribe are quite fond of dance and music and have their own dialect. However, some Knnaikkars also speak Tamil and Malayalam. Other tribes of Kollam also form a large portion of the city’s population.
Festivals
As far as festivals are concerned, the people of Kollam from every community celebrate various occasions that they feel are important according to their traditions. Kollam Pooram, Onam, Ashtami Rohini Festival, Oachirakkali, Kollam Crafts Festival, are some of the popular Hindu festivals while they also celebrate non- Hindu festivals as well including Christmas, Easter and Ramzan. The chief feature of the people of Kollam is religious tolerance. People of all religions take part in the festivals of other religion. These fairs and festivals are the best time to experience the true culture of Kollam.
Music, Dance and Literature
Music and dance are 2 very important components of the culture of Kollam and thus various dance and music events are organized, all round the year and every year. Kathakali , an ancient dance form, is being practiced here from a long time. Ramanattam is its new version, created by Kottarakkara Thampuran, a popular classical dancer. He also made changes inKrishnanattam by incorporating Malayalam instead of Sanskrit. He did so to make common men understand the beautiful dance form. Koothu, Ottamthullal, Kaikottikali are the other famous dance forms of Kollam. Mainly folk music including Kalyana Pattukal, Vadakkan Pattukal, Mappila Pattukal and Thekkan Pattukal is practiced here while Sopanasangeetham is a popular classical form of singing.
Kollam, the capital of the former Venad, was also popular for being a centre of learning and culture that attracted notable scholars from all around the southern part of the country. Some of the notable figures of different fields who find their origin in Kollam include K. C. Kesava Pillai, Paravoor Kesavan Asan, Franco Raghavan Pillai, Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai, Lalithambika Antharjanam and more. Kollam is also quite popular for its 14th century contributions like Leelathilakam and Unnuneeli Sandesam, two literary works of historical importance.
Industries
Kollam, although is moderately industrialized but amongst a few others, the most important industries are those of Cashew processing and coir production. They are the main source of employment of the private sector. Cashew industries also employ a major chunk of women population for the purpose of shelling, peeling and sorting cashews. Other industries are of metals, pipes, clay and electronics. Kollam has been declared ‘Cashew Town of Export Excellence’ by the Indian Government.
Prominent events
Kollam Pooram, a part of the Ashramam Sree Krishnaswamy Temple Festival, is the popular as the most popular cultural celebration in the southern region of Kerala. Generally held on 15th April or 16th April, it is organized at the Ashramam maidan.
Chittumala Theerthatanam– This is a yearly march on Thiruvonam, for promotion of communal harmony. Begun in 1968, it initiates from Munroe Island from Kollam and gets concluded at Chittumala.
Edakkidom Shivarathri-Edakkidom Shivarathri or Edakkidom Thettikkunil Sree Mahadevi Temple Festival, is also an important cultural fair.
Irupathiettam onamashtamudy ashtamudy veerabhadra swamy Temple Festival, becomes the venue of Irupathiettam onam, every year on the 28th day of Onam.
President's Trophy Boat Race(PTBR)- Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam becomes the venue of one of the biggest boat race events PTBR. This is probably the only sports event in India where the trophy is sponsored by the President of India. If Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most important, it comes second in terms of participation and prize money.
Places of worship
The people of Kollam have strong religious beliefs and thus, there are severaltemples, mosques and churches all around the city. Kollam also boasts of being an important pilgrimage center of Kerala, which is visited by a large number of devotees, every year from different parts of South India.
