The Royal Pooram: Festive looks for Thrissur

The stately Thrissur Pooram will be celebrated on Sunday. The festivities will commence at the Vadakkumnathan Temple, Thrissur. The ‘Madathilekku Varavu’ ceremony, where the ‘thidambu’ (idol) of Thiruvambadi Bhagavathy is taken from the Thiruvambadi temple to Naduvil Madom at Pazhayanadakkavu, west of the Thekkinkad Maidan, has begun at 7.30 a.m. This will be followed by Panchavadyam, led by percussion maestro Annamanada Parameswara Marar, at 10 a.m.

A host of processions from other temples known as ‘cheru poorams’ will be part of the festivities. The cheru poorams will come from Kanimangalam Sastha, Karamukku Bhagavathy, Neythilakkaavu Bhagavathy, Lalur Bhagavathy, Panamukkampalli Sastha, Choorakkottukavu Durga, Ayyanthole Karthyayani and Chembukkavu Karthyayani temples.

The procession from Paramekkavu temple will begin at 12.30 pm. Signalling this will be the famed Ilanjithara Melam, led by veteran percussionist Peruvanam Kuttan Marar. This will be staged at Vadakkunatha Temple at 2.00 pm.

The two hour ensemble, which gets over at 4.00 pm will mark the movement of the procession from Paramekkavu temple to the Vadakkunatha Temple. The much awaited ‘Kudamattom’ (display of ornamental umbrellas) will commence at 5.30 pm.

The parading of over 100 elephants at the festivities during the course of various rituals that last for 36 hours is the hall mark of the Thrissur Pooram. The carnival lasts for 36 hours and will end on Monday morning, to the accompaniment of a firecracker display.

The Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devasoms present innovative patterns and varieties of fireworks every year.

The festival began to be celebrated in the late 18th century, and was started by Sakthan Thampuran, Maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Kochi. Sakthan Thampuran unified 10 temples around the Vadakunnathan temple and organised the first mass festival, which came to be called the Thrissur Pooram.