Thrissur Pooram
Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) temple in Trissur, the largest considered to be the mother of all poorams, is a grand assembly of Gods and Goddesses in and around Thrissur. This year Thrissur Pooram is on the 11th of May. On the Pooram day, a cultural event celebrated when the Moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam calendar month of Medam ( April-May).
Thrissur Pooram was the brainchild of Rama Varma Kunhjippilla Thampuram, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790-1805), the decision to unify 10 temples situated around Vadakkunnathan Temple catering to the masses. He invited the temple with their deities to the city of Trissur to pay obeisance to Lord Vadakkunnahtan ( Lord Shiva), the presiding deity of the Vadakkunnathan Temple. People were given the duty to craft umbrellas and nettiapttam for the festival. Poora Vilambaram is a custom where elephant pushes open the south entrance gate of the Vadakkunathan Temple, which hosts the Trissur Pooram, with the idol of Neithilakkavilamma” atop it. The golden elephant caparison ( Nettipattam) elephant accoutrements ( Chamayam) ornamental fan made of peacock feathers ( Alavatoom) royal fan ( Venchamarom) scared bells and decorative umbrellas are prepared new by Thrivambady and Paramekkavu Devasoms. The pooram states at the time of Kanimangalam Sasthav Ezhunnellippu in the early morning and is followed by the Exhunnellippu of the other six temples. One of the major events in Trissur Pooram is Madathi Varavu a panchavadhyam melam with over 200 artists with instruments such as Thimila, madhalam, Trumpet, cymbal, and edakka. At 2:00 inside the Vadakkumnathan temple starts Ilanjithara melam, consisting of drums, trumpets, pipes, and cymbals. The pooram has more than 50 elephants decorated with nettipattam ( decorative golden headdress), strikingly crafted Kolam, decorative bells, and ornaments. At the end of the Poorm, after the Iianjithara melam both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi groups enter the temple through the western gate, come out through the southern gate and array themselves face to face in distant places. The two groups in the presence of melam exchange colourful and crafted umbrellas competitively at the top of the elephants, called Kudamattom, which is the delightful and eye-catching attraction of the pooram, followed by fireworks.