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| THRISSUR
POORAM |
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| Celebrated In
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Thrissur, Pooram |
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| Centre of
Activity :
Thekkinkadu Grounds |
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| Main
Attraction :
Kudamattam |
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| In the month
of :
April - May |
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Pooram: When the
gods meet
Thrissur is best known for its mammoth
Pooram Festival, which is the most colourful and spectacular temple festival of
Kerala. The legends and myths behind each festival of Kerala are many, varied
and equally interesting. Since the word pooram literally means a group or a
meeting, it was believed that every year the dynastic gods and goddesses of
neighbouring province met together for a day of celebration. This usually
happened on the pooram asterism of one of the spring months.
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| The gods and their entourage
arrived for the meeting on colourfully decorated tuskers. Even today, the
converging of these divine processions at the festival venue is an awe
inspiring sight. The pooram draws to a close with mind-blowing fireworks
displays in the evening and in the wee hours of the next morning. Some of the
main Pooram celebrations are at Aratupuzha, Thrissur, Uthralikavu,
Cheeramkulangara, Pariyanampetta, Mannarkad, Perumanam, Aryankavu, Mangottu,
Medamkulangara, Kodikal, Thirumandhamkunnu etc. |
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| Thrissur Pooram is held in the
Malayalam month of Medam (April- May). Devotees and spectators from all parts
of the state and even outside, throng the 'Pooram'. |
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| Introduced during the reign of
Sakthan Thampuran (1775- 1790), the Raja of Kochi, Pooram is an assemblage of
suburban deities before the presiding deity at the Siva temple in down town
Thrissur. The Pooram celebration is held at the Thekkinkadu grounds.
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| Traditionally, two groups
representing the main geographic divisions of Thrissur, Paramekkavu and
Thiruvambadi, rival to add to the Pooram's grandeur. Both teams field face to
face arrays of richly caparisoned elephants.
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| And then 'Kudamattam', a
competition in the swift and rhythmic changing of brightly coloured and
sequinned parasols is conducted. The whole event takes place in rhythm with the
traditional orchestra 'Pandimelam'. |
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