Thrissur Pooram is one of the most famous and vibrant temple festivals in the Indian state of Kerala. It is celebrated annually in the city of Thrissur, which is often referred to as the “cultural capital” of Kerala. Thrissur Pooram typically falls in the Malayalam month of Medam, which corresponds to April or May in the Gregorian calendar.
History and Significance
Thrissur Pooram has a long history dating back to the late 18th century when it was first organized by Sakthan Thampuran, the ruler of Kochi. It was conceived as a unifying festival to bring together various temples and communities in Thrissur. Before the start of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival in Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha known as Arattupuzha Pooram. Temples in and around the city of Thrissur were regular participants. In the year 1798 because of incessant rains, the temples from Thrissur were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram and were denied access to the Pooram procession. Feeling embarrassed and angered by the denial, the temple authorities raised the issue with Sakthan Thampuran.
This made him take the decision to unify the 10 temples situated around Vadakkunnathan Temple and organized the celebration of Thrissur Pooram as a mass festival. He invited temples with their deities to the city of Thrissur to pay obeisance to Lord Vadakkunnathan (Lord Siva), the presiding deity of the Vadakkunnathan Temple. Something unique about this festival is that everything used in the festival is made fresh every year from scratch. There are people who are given the duty to craft the umbrellas and the nettipattam.
Sakthan Thampuran ordained the temples into two groups, namely “Paramekkavu side” and “Thiruvambady side”. These are headed by the principal participants, Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple at Thrissur Swaraj Round and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple at Shoranur road.
The Pooram is centered on the Vadakkunnathan Temple, with all these temples sending their processions 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.
Parading of Elephants
One of the main attractions of Thrissur Pooram is the grand procession of decorated elephants. These elephants, adorned with colorful parasols, decorative bells, and ornaments, are a sight to behold. The festival usually features a competitive display of caparisoned elephants from different temples in the region.
Fireworks
Thrissur Pooram is renowned for its spectacular fireworks display, which takes place in the evening. Fireworks are a significant part of the celebration and draw large crowds of spectators. The first round of pyrotechnics, known as Sample Vedikettu, happens on the fourth day after the flag hoisting of the Pooram. It is a one-hour show presented by Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms. Swaraj Round is venue for this fireworks.
Music and Drums
One of the major events in Thrissur Pooram is “Madathil varavu”, a panchavadhyam melam, participating more than 200 artists, with instruments such as thimila, madhalam, trumpet, cymbal and edakka. Traditional Kerala percussion instruments like the chenda (a cylindrical drum) and ilathalam (a pair of cymbals) are played during the festival. The rhythmic beats of these instruments add to the festive atmosphere.
Temple Decorations
The temples involved in Thrissur Pooram, mainly the Vadakkunnathan Temple and the Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple, are beautifully decorated with colorful illuminations and traditional art forms. The competition between these two temples to outdo each other in the grandeur of their decorations is a highlight of the festival.
At the end of the pooram, after the Ilanjithara melam, both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi groups enter the temple through the western gate, come out through the southern gate and array themselves face to face in distant places. The two groups in the presence of melam exchange colourful and crafted umbrellas competitively at the top of the elephants, called Kudamattom, which is the eye-catching attraction of the pooram.
Later all poorams conclude at Nilapaduthara near western gopuram of Vadakkunnathan Temple.
Thrissur Pooram also features various cultural performances, including traditional dance forms like Kathakali and Koodiyattam, as well as classical music recitals.
Devotees from different parts of Kerala come to Thrissur to participate in the festival. They often carry traditional umbrellas and offer prayers at the temples.
The festival involves various rituals, including the ceremonial processions of deities from different temples to the Vadakkunnathan Temple. These processions are accompanied by traditional music and dance.
Thrissur Pooram is considered one of the greatest gatherings in Asia. It has an important place in the tourism map of India, as tourists enjoy the beauty and traditions of this pooram. Rail and bus connectivity is excellent in Thrissur, which attracts many foreign tourists to the gala. It is considered as meeting of Devas.
The Oscar-winning sound editor Resul Pookutty and his team recorded the sounds of the 36-hour festivities and made a movie The Sound Story.
Thrissur Pooram is a cultural extravaganza that attracts tourists and devotees from all over the world. It is a vibrant celebration of Kerala’s rich heritage, art, and spirituality, making it one of the most iconic festivals in the state.
