Give a short description of Petta Thullal of Erumely,Kerala,India?

The biggest mass spiritual dance

Petta Thullal' is actually a mass frenzied dancing Erumeli Sastha Temple - Saranathan accompanied by loud music created by traditional instruments of this region. Prior to Petta Thullal, the pilgrims smear colour on their faces and bodies. It is said that smearing of colours and taking part in this sort of a dance is a symbolic step towards shedding one's ego which is an essential pre-requisite before undertaking the pilgrimage. It is obligatory for all Kanni Ayyappans and Kanni Malikapurams to perform Petta Thullal. The `second year' pilgrims are entrusted with the task of dressing up `Kanni Ayyappans' for the `Petta Thullal' ceremony.The participants and the onlookers seem to agree that "more the noise, bigger the crowd, more frenzied the occasion, greater the satisfaction". Varied reasons are offered to justify what `Petta Thullal' signifies. Some such explanations are:-

* The demon whom Ayyappa slayed was in the form of a buffalo. Buffalo in malayalam is called `Eruma' and some people say that the name `Erumeli' is derived from the word Eruma. When the word spread that Ayyappa had slayed the demon in the form of a buffalo, they undertook this dance to commemorate the victory of good over evil.

* There is a school of thought that says that Petta Thullal was a sort of physical conditioning for Ayyappa's troops before they set course on their difficult journey through rough terrain to engage the brigand Udayanan who was a law unto himself.

An overpowering atmosphere of religious ceremonies prevail at Erumeli during the Erumeli Sastha Temple - Saranathan pilgrimage season.

i don't know about this. you should ask some hindu keralite from erumely.