Thrissur Pooram.

Thrissur Pooram.
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If there is one truly secular festival that we Keralites celebrate it is the spectacular Thrissur Pooram. Year after year its spleandour and gaity goes up with more and more people participating.The festival which falls on the POORAM star of the Malayalam month MEDAM, is celbrated as a festival of the Lord of this cultural capital, Sri Vadakkunnathan. The Temples of Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady join the celebrations with the unique display of scores of caparisoned elphants and wonderful display of decorated Umbrellas, in a Kudamaatom ceremony. Both the said temple devaswoms, vie with each other to display varying forms of the umbrellas in different hues and fittings, ( with this year presenting an LED lit set of umbrellas) which is done in a healthy competitive spirit. The crescendo built up by the senior artists who play the Panchavadyam, Pancharimelom, etc.. are another major attraction of the festival. The festivities wind down with the spectacular and unique fireworks displays which run into the early morning after Pooram day.

This year, unfortunately, there was a rare occurrence of one of the pachydrms, named Kalidasa running amuck and causing grievous injury to one lady and injury to some others. Unfortunately, this incident might lead to greater demand from the increasing set of so-called elephant lovers, to ban the use of elephants in the pooram festival. I sincerely hope thgis does not happen because it has been the elephants who have added majesty to this festival. may be one will have to look at ensuring the ethical use of these animals and safety of the millions who throng to see them.