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Thrissur Pooram Venue: Thekkinkadu (literally, Teak forest) ground, in the heart of Thrissur town, north Kerala. Attractions: Processions of majestically caparisoned elephants, changing of sequinned parasols and fireworks display. Thrissur is best known for its mammoth Pooram festival held in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May). It is the most colourful and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. This year it was held on April 25 and the next Pooram will be held in May. See for yourselves a glimpse of this mega festival. Devotees and spectators from all parts of the State and even outside throng the Pooram. 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 Vadakkumnathan (Siva) temple in down town Thrissur. The Pooram celebration is held at the the Thekkinkadu grounds.
Traditionally, two groups
representing the main geographic divisions of Thrissur, Paramekkavu Temple and
Thiruvambadi Temple, rival to add to the Pooram's grandeur. Both teams
field face to face arrays of richly caparisoned elephants. 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 to the
traditional orchestra 'Pandimelam'.
The name 'Thrissur' itself is derived from Tiru-Siva-Perur (the town
with the name of Lord Siva) is often referred to as the cultural capital of
Kerala because Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy (Academy for music & drama),
Kerala Sahitya Academy (Academy for Literature) Kerala Lalithakala Academy
(Academy for fine arts) and Kerala Kalamandalam are all situated here.
Getting there : Thrissur is linked by rail and road to most major towns
inside and outside the Kerala. Arattupuzha Pooram Spectacular Aarattupuzha Pooram, the largest elephant stage entry in which about 70 majestically caparisoned elephants participated. Aarattupuzha is about 14 km from Thrissur town. Arattupuzha Pooram Arattupuzha Pooram is the greatest vela festival in Kerala. Watch the row of richly caparisoned elephants standing at ease amidst the visibly excited crowd. The audio background has the musical accompaniment of the Panchavadyam, so integral to the temple ceremonies in Kerala. Uthralikkavu Pooram Uthralikkavu Pooram is one of the most important festivals of central Kerala. This eight-day long festival, dedicated to Goddess Kali, is celebrated at the Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple in Vadankancherry in the district of Thrissur, usually sometime in February. The colourful elephant processions during the day and night, accompanied by the resounding Panchavadyam and the Pandimelam - two types of drum orchestration ? thrill the devotees. The evenings are eventful with ritual and folk art performances, in the glow of the traditional temple torches, that continue until dawn. On the concluding day is the spectacular all-night pooram pageant, the highlight of the festival. colourful Chinakathoor pooram held annually at the Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy Temple, Palappuram in the district of Palakkad in north Kerala. The highlights of the festival include a grand procession of 33 tuskers in the evening, and performances of the Panchavadyam or the traditional temple orchestra and various art forms like Vellattu, Theyyam, Poothanum thirayum, Kaalavela, Kuthiravela, Aandi Vedan, Karivela, and so on. The Tholppavakkoothu, a ritualistic shadow puppet show, is presented at the temple premises every evening for the 17 days preceding the festival. Another beautiful sight is the procession of sixteen well-decorated models of the kuthira (horse) and the kaala (bull) brought ceremoniously to the temple by devotees.
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Poorams,
the annual festivals at the temples of North Kerala are splendid celebrations
which follow the harvest season. Spectacular elephant pageantry and traditional
percussion ensembles are the highlights of pooram festivals. Thrissur
Pooram, the most popular among them has been attracting travelers from various
parts of the world for the past several years. Other important poorams
include the Arattupuzha Pooram, Peruvanam Pooram, Nenmara Vallangi Vela,
Uthralikkavu Pooram, Pariyanampetta Pooram and Chinakkathoor Pooram.