Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

From a protest rally to one of the world's largest gay and lesbian festivals, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has come a long way. In 1978, a group of 1,000 people marched down Oxford Street to mark International Gay Solidarity Day. The one-off event resulted in violent clashes with police and a determination to do it all again the following year and Mardi Gras was born. The event has continued to transform, adding an arts festival in 1983, and grown to attract an audience of hundreds of thousands of participants from all over the world. The Festival forms a huge celebration and reflection on gay and lesbian life.

CHITTUR KONGANPADA

Konganpada is a grand festival of historical significance celebrated in the Bhagavathy temple at Chittur' ten kilometre from Palakkad town. A unique festival it is held every year on the first Monday after the dark lunar night in Kumbham (February -March) to commemorate the victory of Nairs of Chittur over the militia of Konganadu (Coimbatore) led by the Chola King Rajadhi Raja

Varadaraja Perumal Temple

Located on M.G.Road, this is believed to be the oldest temple in town, dating back to 600 AD. The temple built in the typical Dravidian style, complete with brightly coloured ‘gopuram’ and sculpted pillars, is probably the oldest standing structure in puducherry. This temple is dedicated to Vishnu. Legend has it, that the temple was originally built for the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman, which were brought to the present site by fishermen, from the sea. The main deity here is Venkatachalapathy (Vishnu). Right behind that is a separate shrine for Narashima (who is also an avatar of Vishnu).