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Thrissur Pooram
Festival Page
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Venue: Thekkinkadu Maidanam in
the heart of Thrissur district.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thrissur, about a km away.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km from
Thrissur.
The world-renowned Thrissur pooram, arguably the most famous festival of Kerala,
is a heady mixture of pomp and pageantry. Thousands of people from all walks of
life gather at the Thekkinkadu Maidanam at Thrissur to celebrate the pooram or
festival. The festival is held in the premises of the Vadakkumnatha temple, a
classic example of the Kerala style of architecture. The festival highlights
include, among other things, a spectacular pageant of 30 caparisoned elephants
and Kudamattom, a competition in the swift rhythmic changing of brightly
coloured and sequined parasols. Chendamelam and Panchavadyam performances by
magicians of music provide a supremely apt accompaniment to the visual treats.
Dazzling fireworks light up the sky to provide a grand finale to two days of
classic entertainment.
Thrissur Pooram is today,
rightfully, called 'the pooram of all poorams' meaning the
biggest or the best of all poorams. The Thrissur pooram, is
celebrated every year, on the pooram day, in the month of Medam
(mid-April to mid-may) month as per the malayalam calendar.
On the pooram day, fifty (50) or more elephants will pass
through the very center of Thrissur town, or the Vadakkunnathan
temple. The main features of the pooram festival are these
decorated elephants with their nettipattam (decorative
headdress), beautiful craftedthe kolam, decorative bells and
ornaments etc. Add to this the panchavadyam, the rhythmic
beating of the drum. Then follows fireworks display in the
early hours of the next day.
It Pooram was orchestrated by
the then ruler of Cochin, Sakthan Thampuran or Raja Rama Varma,
in 1798. Sakthan Thampuran, so known for his firm and decisive
administration, decided to break tradition and create a venue
for the temples belonging to his region to celebrate their
pooram festivalSakthan
Thampuran ordained these temples into two groups, Western group
and Eastern group. The Western group as Thiruvambady consisting
of Kanimangalam, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Nethilakkavu and the
Thiruvambady temple, as the main one. The Eastern group called
as Paramekkavu, consisting in addition to Paramekkavu temple,
Karamukku, Chembukavu, Choorakottukavu and Panamukkamppilly. The
pooram was to be centered around the Vadakkunnathan temple, with
all these temples sending their poorams (the whole procession),
to pay obeisance to the Shiva, the presiding deity. The
Thampuran is believed to have chalked out the program and the
main events of the Thrissur pooram festival.
( Reference -Govt of kerala / Wikkipedia)
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