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Thrissur Pooram

Start Date : 27-Apr-2007
End Date : 31-May-2007
Venue : Vadakkumnathan Temple, Thrissur, Kerala
City : Thrissur
Country : India
Category : Kerala

Thrissur Pooram Festival is considered as the biggest temple festival of Kerala. Also the most colorful festival, it is celebrated in the Malayalam month Medam (April/May). The venue of the Festival of Thrissur Pooram is Vadakkumnathan Temple in the Thrissur district, dedicated to Lord Shiva. One of the major attractions of this festival is the Elephant Procession (Kudamattom), which witnesses the participation of the best elephants from the various temples in Kerala. The procession is a marathon event of amazing beauty, serving as a treat for the both the eyes as well as the ears. The Thrissur Pooram Festival has quite a history behind its being. Before it came into existence, a one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha town was the largest temple festival during summer in central Kerala. This festival had the temples in and around Thrissur participating in it. However, once these temples were not allowed to take part in the Aarattupuzha festival. In retaliation, Prince Rama Varma, the ruler of the erstwhile Cochin state, invited all these temples to bring their deities to Thrissur, for paying obeisance to Lord (Sri) Vakunnathan, the deity of the Vadakunnathan temple. From that day onwards, the Thrissur Pooram Festival came into existence. And today, it claims the distinction of being the biggest temple festival of Kerala. Apart from the Kudamattom, the other draws of the festival include a spectacular display of colorful fireworks, an umbrella showing competition, parasol exchanges, drum concerts, display of pyro-techniques, etc. One of the highlights of the Thrissur Pooram Festival is that it makes no distinction between people, on the basis of religion or caste. The Pooram program commences with the ezhunellippu of the Kanimangalam Shasta in the morning, followed by the ezhunnellippu of the other six minor temples on the Pooram Day. The ezhunnellippu program is a ritual that signifies a visit of the Devi from the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi temples to the Vadakkunnathan temple. The other major programs of Thrissur Pooram include Panchavadya, performances by Thimila, Maddalam, Trumpet, Cymbal and Edakka artists. And not to be missed is the Pandemelam event, a musical show by artistes belonging to the disciplines of drum, trumpets, pipe and cymbal. The festival comes to an end with a farewell program, for the deities of the Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devaswams.


Getting there :
Nearest railway station : Thrissur, a few minutes drive from the Thekkinkadu Maidanam.
Nearest airport : Cochin International Airport, about 58 kms from Thrissur town.