Thrissur Pooram
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The Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram day—the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam Calendar month of Medam. It is the largest and most famous of all poorams in India.<ref name = MeltonEncyclopedia>Melton, J. Gordon. Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations Vol. I. ABC-CLIO, 2011, p. 700.</ref> Thrissur pooram is also one of the largest festivals in Asia with more than 1 million visitors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Thrissur Pooram Exhibition is conducted over a period of 40 to 50 days during the Thrissur Pooram.
History
Thrissur Pooram (തൃശ്ശൂര് പൂരം) was the brainchild of Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790–1805).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Before the start of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival in Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha known as Arattupuzha Pooram. Temples in and around the city of Thrissur were regular participants. In the year 1796 because of incessant rains, the temples from Thrissur Groups (Paramekkavu, Thiruvambadi, Chempukkavu, Karamukku, Lalur, Ayyanthol, Chakkulathukavu, Neythalakavu and Kanimangalam Temples) were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram and were denied access to the Pooram procession. Feeling embarrassed and angered by the denial, the banned temple groups complained to Sakthan Thampuran.<ref name=":0">“Thrissur Pooram's Origin: The Amazing Story behind the Iconic Festival.”[1]</ref> he decided to challenge the ban by starting Thrissur Pooram on the Pooram day in the month of May in the same year as a mass festival. He invited temples with their deities to the city of Thrissur to pay obeisance to Vadakkunnathan (Shiva), the presiding deity of the Vadakkunnathan Temple.<ref name=":0" /> Something unique about this festival is that everything used in the festival is made fresh every year from scratch. There are people who are given the duty to craft the umbrellas and the nettipattam.<ref>Thing. “Thrissur Pooram: The Story behind the Spectacle.” The Times of India, Business, 4 May 2017, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thrissur-pooram-the-story-behind-the-spectacle/photostory/58515283.cms?picid=58515323.</ref>
Participants
Sakthan Thampuran ordained the temples into two groups, namely "Paramekkavu side" and "Thiruvambady side". These are headed by the principal participants, Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple at Thrissur Swaraj Round and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple at Shoranur road.
Western Group (Thiruvambady side)
- Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple
- Laloor Bhagavathy Temple
- Ayyanthole Karthyayani Temple
- Neythalakkavu Bhagavathy Temple
Eastern Group (Paramekkavu side)
- Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple
- Chembukkavu Bhagavathy Temple
- Panamukkumpally Sastha Temple
- Choorakkottukavu Bhagavathy Temple
- Pookattikkara - Karamukku Bhagavathy Temple
- Kanimangalam Sastha temple
The Pooram is centered on the Vadakkunnathan Temple, with all these temples sending their processions to pay obeisance to the Shiva, the presiding deity. The Thampuran is believed to have chalked out the program and the main events of the Thrissur Pooram festival.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Flag Hoisting
The pooram officially begins from the event of flag hoisting (കൊടിയേറ്റം).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The flag hosting ceremony (Kodiyettam) begins seven days before Thrissur Pooram. All the participating temples of Thrissur Pooram are present for the ceremony, and there is a light fireworks display to announce the commencement of the festival.
Poora Vilambharam
Poora Vilambaram is a custom where the elephant pushes open the south entrance gate at 12 PM of the Vadakkunnathan Temple, which hosts the Thrissur Pooram, with the idol of 'Neithilakkavilamma' atop it.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ernakulam Sivakumar has ceremoniously opened the thekke gopura nada (South Gate) of the Vadakkunnathan temple in the years 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Another prominent elephant who has had the honour of opening the gate in the past is Thechikottukavu Ramachandran.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Display of fireworks (first round)
The first round of pyrotechnics, known as Sample Vedikettu, happens on the fourth day after the flag hoisting of the Pooram. It is a one-hour show presented by Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms. Swaraj Round is the venue for this fireworks and starts at 7:15 pm. The display usually has innovative patterns and varieties of fireworks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Even though there were several controversies, permission was granted to conduct Thrissur Pooram in 2017<ref>Thrissur Pooram 2017</ref>
Display of caparisons
The golden elephant caparison (Nettipattam), elephant accoutrements (Chamayam), ornamental fan made of peacock feathers (Aalavattom), royal fan (Venchamarom), sacred bells and decorative umbrellas are prepared new by Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devawsoms separately. Paramekkavu Devaswom exhibits this at the Agrasala in Thrissur City, and the Thiruvambady Devaswom displays the caparisons at the Church Mission Society High School in Thrissur City on the fourth and fifth day before the Pooram. In 2014 and 2015, it was displayed in Kousthubham Hall at Shornur Road<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Main pooram
On pooram day, the participants from their temples parades with music and elephants decorated with thidambu and caparisons to Srimoolasthanam of Vadakkumnathan Temple twice – in the morning and at night. Pooram day officially starts with the arrival of Kanimangalam Sastha in the early morning.
| Temple | Morning Time | Evening Time | Elephants | Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanimangalam | 7.30 am - 8.30 am | 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm | 9 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Panekkammpilly | 8.30 am - 9.00 am | 8.30 pm - 9.30 pm | 3 | Panchavadyam, Panjari melam |
| Chempukkavu | 7.45 am - 8.45 am | 8.15 pm - 9.15 pm | 3 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Karumukku - Pukkatikara | 8.30 am - 9.30 am | 9.00 pm - 10.00 pm | 9 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Lalur | 9.00 am - 10.30 am | 9.30 pm - 10.30 pm | 9 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Choorakkottukkavu | 9.30 am - 11.00 am | 10.00 pm - 12.00 am | 14 | Nadaswaram, Pandi melam |
| Ayyanthole | 10.00 am - 12.00 pm | 11.00 pm - 12.30 am | 13 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Neythalakkavu | 11.00 am - 1.00 pm | 12.00 am - 1.00 am | 11 | Nadaswaram, Pandi melam |
The processions of the principal participants––Thiruvambady and Parammekavu––are the most awaited and major events of the pooram.
Thiruvambady arrives to Vadakkumnathan from Brahmaswam Madham (vedic institution), with a panchavadhyam concert called "Madathil varavu", with artists numbering uppto 40 members with instruments such as thimila, madhalam, trumpet, cymbal and edakka. Paramekkavu begins its procession with a pandi melam in front of its temple at around 11:30 a.m and gradually enters the Vadakkamnuthan temple by 1:30 p.m.
At 2:00 p.m, inside the Vadakkumnathan Temple starts the "Ilanjithara melam", one of the central attractions of the pooram, consisting of drum, trumpets, pipe and cymbal.
Kudamattam
Thrissur Pooram’s grandest moment unfolded with the iconic Kudamattam ritual. Thirty caparisoned elephants — 15 each from the Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple stood face-to-face in ceremonial formation.
Atop these majestic elephants, parasol bearers engaged in the rapid display of Kudamattam, the rhythmic switching of vividly coloured ornamental silk umbrellas. The spectacle was further elevated by the gleam of nettipattams (golden forehead ornaments), the elegant flutter of venchamaram (fans made from peacock feathers), and the regal presence of muthukkuda (decorative umbrellas). <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Display of fireworks (Main Round)
Thrissur pooram main fireworks (vedikettu / വെടിക്കെട്ട് ) are well renowned all over the country. This amazing display of fireworks is held in the heart of Thrissur city, in Thekkinkadu Maidan.
Thiruvambadi and Parmekavu are the main participants in this event. The main fireworks begin in the early morning of the seventh day. Most pooram enthusiasts stay up all night to get a better view of the fireworks. People come from faraway places to watch this amazing display of pyrotechnics. There are four major firework displays in Thrissur Pooram: the 'sample fireworks' on the day before the Pooram, the colorful sparklers that light up the sky (amittu) by both sides on the Pooram evening after the Southward Descent, the most impressive event that mark the peak of Pooram celebrations in the early morning hours, and the final fireworks the following noon after the goddesses bid farewell to each other that mark the end of the pooram.
Farewell ceremony
The seventh day of the pooram is the last day. It is also known as "Pakal Pooram" (പകല് പൂരം). For the people of Thrissur, the pooram is not only a festival but also a time for hospitality. Upacharam Cholli Piriyal (ഉപചാരം ചൊല്ലി പിരിയല്) (farewell ceremony) is the last event held at Swaraj Round. Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple idols were taken from the Swaraj Round to their respective temples to mark the end of the Pooram celebrations. The festival ends with display of fireworks known as Pakal Vedikkettu.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Security
For the 2025 Thrissur Pooram festival, a 4,000-member Thrissur City Police team was deployed. The deployment included not just local police but also specialised units such as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Thunderbolt, and Urban Commandos. The number of closed-circuit television cameras installed throughout the city was increased from 250 to 350 to aid in monitoring and crime prevention.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Thrissur City Police deployed a dedicated cyber team to monitor and cleanse digital platforms of potentially inflammatory content in the run-up to the Thrissur Pooram festival. A 20-member unit comprising officers with digital expertise was tasked with identifying and removing communal or politically charged messages that could incite unrest. This marked the first time that Kerala Police initiated such a step specifically for Pooram-related online surveillance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Attendance
Thrissur District Collector Arjun Pandian has stated that an estimated 18 to 20 lakh people are expected to participate in the 2025 edition of Thrissur Pooram.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The pooram has a good collection of elephants (more than 50) decorated with nettipattam (decorative golden headdress), strikingly crafted Kolam, decorative bells, and ornaments.
Cultural influences
Despite being a Hindu festival, the Thrissur Pooram is attended by different sections of Kerala society.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Several replicas of the festival are held in places in Kerala<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as outside the state.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Thrissur Pooram is considered one of the greatest gatherings in Asia. It has an important place in the tourism map of India, as tourists enjoy the beauty and traditions of this pooram. Rail and bus connectivity is excellent in Thrissur, which attracts many foreign tourists to the gala. It is considered as meeting of Devas (ദേവ സംഗമം).
The Oscar-winning sound editor Resul Pookutty and his team recorded the sounds of the 36-hour festivities and made a movie The Sound Story.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
External links
- All Information About Thrissur District
- Thrissur Pooram Festival
- Thrissur Pooram - Community Media Website Template:Webarchive
- Thrissur - History
Template:Tourist attractions in Thrissur Template:Culture of Kerala Template:Tourism in Kerala