The
Thrissur Pooram festival is celebrated during the month April or May. It
is a very auspicious festival and all temples in Kerala take part in
this gaiety celebration. In Kerala, Thrissur festival has been
celebrated since two centuries. Thus it not only has historical
significance, but also has an ancient mystical allure to it. The Trichur
Pooram festival of Kerala is one of the biggest temple festivals in
India. Almost all temples of Thrissur participate in this event. Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of the Cochin State, initiated Thrissur Pooram festival in the late 18th Century. Till date, the largest crowd gathers to celebrate this magnificent festival and people from remote villages come to take part in the grand processions. The festival takes place in the premises of Vadakkunnathan Temple. Another extraordinary attraction of this festival is the grand display of fireworks. The early morning sky lights up for 3-4 hours and does not remain empty even for a second. The dazzling display enthralls kids and grown-ups alike and one can see the look of admiration on everyone's faces. The two rival groups representing the two categories of Thrissur Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi take turns to outdo the other in their display of fireworks.
The show stealer however is, the parade of thirty beautifully ornamented elephants that march magnificently to the music played by the musicians. The images of Gods are placed on top of the elephants and are taken to the main temple. The whole procession is magical and dazzling and there is a chaotic melody to the music played. At some point during the procession, the experience seems so magical that it is almost unreal! In a crux, it is an event that should not be missed by anyone visiting Kerala.
