Thrissur Pooram 2022: The biggest temple festival in Kerala, Thrissur Pooram is celebrated every year with great pomp and fervor at Vadakkunnathan temple in the city of Thrissur. After two years of Covid restrictions, the festival is back in its original form with grand processions displaying caparisoned elephants, magnificent umbrellas and percussion music, showcasing the cultural essence of Kerala. (See Photos: Thrissur Pooram: Interesting Facts About Kerala’s Biggest Temple Festival)
Thrissur Pooram, the largest and most famous of all Poorams, is observed in the month of Medam on the day of Pooram when the moon rises with the star Pooram. Thrissur Pooram is celebrated on May 10 this year. On this day, various temples are invited to the city of Thrissur to pay homage to Lord Vadakkunnathan at Vadakkunnathan temple and the highlight of the festival is the huge procession which includes more than 50 elephants decorated with golden ornaments.
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According to drikpanchang.com, Pooram Nakshathram begins at 6:40 p.m. on May 10, 2022 and ends at 7:28 p.m. on May 11, 2022.
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The annual temple festival is over 200 years old and was started by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Kochi, who organized this festival and invited 10 temples – Paramekkavu, Thiruvambadi Kanimangalam, Karamucku, Laloor, Choorakottukara, Panamukkampally, Ayyanthole, Chembukkavu and Neythilakavu. . Before the start of the festival, a one-day festival called Arattupuzha Pooram in Aarattupuzha was celebrated every year and the temples around Thrissur also participated in the festival. However, in 1798 the temples of Thrissur were denied access as they were late for the celebrations due to incessant rains. The said temple authorities raised the matter with Sakthan Thampuran, who then founded Thrissur Pooram.
Celebrations
Pooram celebrations begin a week early with the hoisting of the flag as participating temples announce the start of the festival with fireworks. Another tradition is called Poora Vilambharam where an elephant pushes the southern entrance gate to the Vadakkunnathan temple, the place of Thrissur Pooram, with the idol of ‘Neithilakkavilamma’ on top. Four days after the flag hoisting, Sample Vedikettu is held, an hour-long fireworks display presented by Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms. This is followed by the display of the barricades.
The Pooram starts early in the morning and one of the highlights of the festival is Madathil varavu, a panchavadhyam melam, which sees the participation of over 200 performers.
The main fireworks display of the Thrissur Pooram is highly anticipated and takes place early in the morning of the seventh day for which people gather in large numbers from distant places. This is held in Thekkinkadu Maidan of Thrissur city. Thrissur Pooram ends on the seventh day with a fireworks display known as Pakal Vedikkettu.
