All About Kerala's Own Thrissur Pooram (image-twitter/KeralaTourism)
Thrissur, Kerala: All eyes are set on one of Kerala‘s most vibrant and grand temple festivals, Thrissur Pooram. Often referred to as the “mother of all Poorams,” this spectacular celebration spans 36 hours over three days.
Held during the Malayalam month of Medam (April–May), the festival reflects Kerala’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage. It takes place at Thekkinkadu Maidanam in the heart of Thrissur. What makes it unique among Malayalees is the grand exhibition of customs and traditions which features adorned elephants, colourful ceremonial umbrellas, and powerful percussion performances.
Read also: ‘Don’t Repeat’: Kerala HC Grants Bail To Santhosh Varkey Aka Arattannan
This year, the grand celebration of extravagant cultural experience is scheduled to be held on May 7. The Pooram Nakshathram will commence on May 6 at 3:52 PM and continue until May 7 at 6:17 PM.
Before diving into the main events, it’s important to understand the history behind this iconic temple festival. Thrissur Pooram was started by Shakthan Thampuran, the ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin, and it dates back to 1796. Originally, the Arattupuzha Pooram was the primary festival where temples from the Thrissur region participated by leading processions to the Arattupuzha temple. However, one year, due to heavy rains, several temples were unable to attend and were consequently barred from future participation.
In response to their grievances, Shakthan Thampuran decided to create a new festival, now known as Thrissur Pooram , which would be celebrated on the same date in May.
Poorams, temple-centered festivals held annually across Kerala, truly capture the essence of the state’s cultural vibrancy. Among them, Thrissur Pooram stands out as the most grand and revered.
With the collective participation of ten temples — Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, Laloor Bhagavathy Temple, Sree Karthyayani Temple, Kanimangalam Sastha Temple, Nethilakkavu Bhagavathy Temple, Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple, Panamukkumpally Sastha Temple, Pookattikkara-Karamukku Bhagavathy Temple, Chembukkavu Bhagavathy Temple, and Parakkottukavu Bhagavathy Temple — the Thrissur Pooram celebration begins around the Vadakkunnathan Temple.
Read also: Lighting The Margins: Remembering KK Koch, Kerala’s Bio-Intellectual Vanguard
Grand ensembles of Chenda Melam and panchavadyam accompany each diety as they are borne on caparisoned elephants, producing an enthralling visual and aural spectacle to the viewers. The processions of every temple diety are carefully timed to sustain the festival’s vitality for 36 hours.
The festivals then concludes in the next morning with the lowering of the temple flag after spectacular display of the fireworks lights up the sky of Thrissur.
