Thrissur is best known for its
mammoth Pooram Festival, which is the most colourful
and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. The legends
and myths behind each festival of Kerala are many,
varied and equally interesting. Since the word pooram
literally means a group or a meeting, it was believed
that every year the dynastic gods and goddesses of
neighbouring province met together for a day of celebration.
This usually happened on the pooram asterism of one
of the spring months.
The gods and their entourage arrived
for the meeting on colourfully decorated tuskers.
Even today, the converging of these divine processions
at the festival venue is an awe-inspiring sight. The
pooram draws to a close with mind-blowing fireworks
displays in the evening and in the wee hours of the
next morning. Some of the main Pooram celebrations
are at Aratupuzha, Thrissur, Uthralikavu, Cheeramkulangara,
Pariyanampetta, Mannarkad, Perumanam, Aryankavu, Mangottu,
Medamkulangara, Kodikal, Thirumandhamkunnu etc.
Thrissur Pooram is held in the Malayalam
month of Medam (April- May). Devotees and spectators
from all parts of the state and even outside, throng
the 'Pooram'. Introduced during the reign of Sakthan
Thampuran (1775- 1790), the Raja of Kochi, Pooram
is an assemblage of suburban deities before the presiding
deity at the Siva temple in down town Thrissur. The
Pooram celebration is held at the Thekkinkadu grounds.
Traditionally, two groups representing
the main geographic divisions of Thrissur, Paramekkavu
and Thiruvambadi, rival to add to the Pooram's grandeur.
Both teams field face-to-face arrays of richly caparisoned
elephants.
And then 'Kudamattam', a competition
in the swift and rhythmic changing have brightly coloured
and sequinned parasols are conducted. The whole event
takes place in rhythm with the traditional orchestra
'Pandimelam'.
