Also known as Pallippaana, Paana is a ritual art to propitiate the goddess
Bhadrakali. It is popular in
Thrissur,
Palakkad and
Malappuram districts. In this ritual, a stump of Paala tree is ceremonially brought to the site and planted there. Then a kalam is drawn on the center of the pandal (canopy) erected near the shrine. To signify the presence of the goddess, a ceremonial sword is placed on a red silk cloth under the tree stump. At the end, the oracle arrives and moves in a trance around the kalam and the pandal. The ritual is accompanied by a percussion instrument called para. It is performed during the night and lasts for about three hours.
