“Thrissur Pooram” festival of festivals

Guys, you want to see heaven on earth? music at its culmination? elephants, the magnificent beasts at its mighty? the biggest orchestration on earth? come to “God’s own country”. Today is an auspicious day for us coz today is our prestigious “Thrissur Pooram ”(Pooram means festival and Thrissur is a district in Kerala), the grandest festival because of its finery and orchestration. i don’t know how many Indians outside Kerala know about this, but its time for everyone to get a taste of this extravaganza. This is not all, the best part is at the culmination of festival when the fireworks begin, its a view worth watching. Fireworks will last for 3 hours with out a pause. At the end the entire city will be raining debris from fireworks. You must see the “Panthal”, we have a Guinness record for the biggest one ever built. Another highlight is the showcase of umbrellas(called “Kudamattam”, Kuda=umbrella, mattam=change) mounted on elephants. People from countries like Germany, Britain, America, Italy etc come here to see this brilliance. There is nothing religious in this festival instead it is everything that is communal. People of different religion from every part of state gather here to become apart of this. we have a saying in “Thrissur” that anyone who visits Pooram becomes a “Thrissurkkaran” ( = a native of Thrissur)

This entire festival takes place at the centre of “Thrissur”, in front of Shri Vadakkumnathan(Lord Shiva) as his temple, Vadakkumnathan Temple situated at the heart of “Thrissur”. Anyone who enters Thrissur city cannot go with out encircling the temple, as it is at the centre, and the city built around the temple. Here is the satellite view of Temple and its compound.

This festival has a heritage of almost 200 years. His Highness Raja Rama Varma (also called “Shakthan Thampuran”), ruler of Cochin began the tradition of this “Thrissur Pooram”. Until then there was only “Aarattupuzha Pooram”(takes place in “Aarattupuzha”), known as the “grand-daddy of Poorams” which has a tradition of over 1000years , takes place in front of a temple which is believed to be more than 2000 years old. Shakthan Thampuran split off from “Aarattupuzha Pooram” and started “Thrissur Pooram” here in “Thrissur”. Thus starting a famous world renowned tradition of “Thrissur Pooram”. If you are a Keralite and asked to talk about “Thrissur Pooram” you can’t stop talking as there are lots to tell ranging from Elephants, fireworks, music, umbrellas etc.

Double deck umbrellas mounted on elephants

On this day of Pooram, “Kerala” who always kept the status of secular state(Secular as all religious, not non religious), demonstrate to the world that how and why it is the most secular state in India.

thrissur pooram 2011 kerala photos exhibition elephants kudamatam

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