Thrissur Pooram is a Hindu festival that is held annually in Kerala. It's held annually on Pooram Day at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur-the day the moon rises with the Pooram star in Medam's Malayalam Calendar month. Among all the poorams, it is the largest and most popular.
History of Thrissur Pooram
Thrissur Pooram was the brainchild of Raja Rama Varma, known as Sakthan Thampuran, Cochin's Maharaja (1790–1805). The largest temple festival in Kerala was the one- festival held in Aarattupuzha, known as Arattupuzha Pooram, before the start of Thrissur Pooram. Temples were frequent participants in and around the town of Thrissur. In the year 1798 the temples with from Thrissur were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram because of incessant rains and were denied entry to the Pooram procession. Feeling ashamed and frustrated at the refusal, the authorities at the temple discussed the matter with Sakthan Thampuran.
This made him agree to unify the 10 temples around Vadakkunnathan Temple, and organize the Thrissur Pooram celebration as a mass festival. He invited temples to the town of Thrissur with their deities to pay obeisance to King Vadakkunnathan (King Siva), the Vadakkunnathan Temple presiding deity. What's interesting about this festival is that all the festival uses is made fresh from scratch every year. There are individuals who have the responsibility to design the umbrellas and nettipattam.
Participants
The temples were ordered by Sakthan Thampuran into two groups: "Paramekkavu side" and "Thiruvambady side." The key attendees, Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple at Thrissur Swaraj Circle, and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple at Shoranur Road, head these. The two temples are within 500 meters of each other. The Pooram is based on the Vadakkunnathan Temple, with both of these temples sending their processions to the Shiva, the presiding deity, to pay obeisance. It is assumed that the Thampuran has chalked out the Thrissur Pooram festival program and the main events.
The pooram begins early in the morning at the time of Kanimangalam sasthavu ezhunnellippu, and is followed by the ezhunnellippu of six other temples. One of Thrissur Pooram's main events is "Madathil varavu," a panchavadhyam melam in which more than 200 artists participate, with instruments such as thimila, madhalam, trumpet, cymbal and edakka. At 2:00 am, the Ilanjithara melam, consisting of drum, trumpets, pipe and cymbal, starts within the vadakkumnathan temple.
The pooram has a large set of elephants (more than 50) furnished with beautifully made Kolam nettipattam, decorative bells, and ornaments. After the Ilanjithara melam, at the end of the pooram, both groups of Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi join the temple through the western gate, emerge through the southern gate and array themselves face to face in distant locations. The two groups competitively on top of the elephants in the presence of melam exchange colorful and made umbrellas, called Kudamattom, which is the pooram's eye-catching attraction.
Later all the poorams at Nilapaduthara close to the western gopuram of Vadakkunnathan Temple conclude.
Farewell
The pooram's seventh day is his last day. Often referred to as "Pakal Pooram." The pooram is not only a festival for the people of Thrissur but also a time for hospitality. The last function to be held at Swaraj Round is Upacharam Cholli Piriyal (farewell ceremony). Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple idols were transported to their respective temples from the Swaraj Round to mark the end of the Pooram celebrations. The festival ends with a fireworks display known as Pakal Vedikkettu.