Kochi: Cultural capital of Thrissur is witnessing unprecedented gathering for the Thrissur Pooram towards exciting culmination in the wee hours of Monday. Thekkinkkadu ground where the Vadakkumnathan temple is located turned out to be the most favoured destination of the people to get the feel of pooram which had been held with riders since the start of Covid.
Paramekkavu temple’s Guruvayur Nandan led the battery of 14 elephants while it was Chandrashekharan which headed the group from Thiruvambadi side. Each group having 15 elephants including the leader stood face-to-face vertically opposite having a gap of several metres. Thereafter, it was a treat for the people who watched with bated breath the exchange of colourful umbrellas including LED umbrellas.
All these are done in front of Vadakkumnathan temple to getting Lord Shiva’s blessings to the mankind. Earlier, the march of tusker Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran, carrying the Kanimangalam temple Goddess replica, to Vadakkumnathan Siva temple signalled the beginning of the grand pooram celebrations. Followed this, minor associate temples took out elephant procession to Vadakkumnathan temple to join the festivities. The other major event of the day was Ilanjithara Melam which is the gathering of percussionists held near Ilanji tree at the Vadakkunnathan Temple.
The famous vedikkettu will be held in the wee hours of Monday.
Thrissur Pooram was started during the reign of Rama Varma Kunhjippilla Thampuran the ruler of Cochin state during 1790-1805. The floating of the pooram was the result of an ego clash with the Travancore Kingdom on the issue of denial of permission to temples from Thrissur to take part in Arattupuzha Pooram in Alappuzha due to trivial reason.
Over 4000 police men are taking care of law and order situation.
Photo Credit: newsskerala.com
