Thrissur Pooram kicks off today

Thrissur: All arrangements are in place for the conduct of Thrissur Pooram on Sunday which will begin with the arrival of eight ‘cheru’ poorams  to Vadakkumnathan temple 7.30 a.m.  The 36-hour-long  spectacle covers two days and one night. The elephant carrying the ‘thidambu’ and ‘kolam’ (replica of the idol) of Neythalakkavilamma on Saturday morning pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the southern entrance tower of Vadakkumnathan temple as a symbolic gesture of welcoming all the gods and goddesses of the temples participating in the Pooram.

The doors of the tower are opened only for Pooram and Sivarathri. Out of the eight ‘ghadaka’ (constituent small) Poorams, the first to reach the Vadakkumn-athan temple on the Pooram day will be Kanimangalam Sastha at 7.30 a.m. followed by Panekkampally Sastha (8.00 a.m.), Chemubu-kkaran Devi (7.45 a.m.), Pookkatikara Karamukku Devi (8.30 a.m.), Laloor Devi (9 a.m.), Choorakkattu-kavu Devi (9.30 a.m.), Ayyanthole Devi (10 a.m.) and Neithalakkav-ilamma (11 a.m.)

But the major participants of the Pooram who  take part in the fest throughout  are Thiruvambadi and Pramekkavu (Bhagavathies). All major events like ‘Madathil Varavu’ of Thiruvambadi, ‘Ezhunallippu’ of Paramek-kavu,  ‘Illanjithara Melam,’  ‘Kudamattam’ and ‘Pakalpooram’ exemplify  the grandeur and extravaganza of the festival.

The ‘Madathilekku Varavu’ ceremony, in which the ‘thidambu’ (idol) of the Thiruvambadi Bhag-avathy is taken out in a procession from the Thiruvambadi temple to Naduvil madom at Pazhayanadakkavu, will begin at 7.00 a.m.

Annamanada Para-meswara Marar will lead the panchavadhyam for the ‘ceremony’ and the ‘pandi melam’ will be led by Kizhakoottu Aniyan Marar.
Ilanjithara Melam of Paramekkavu devaswom, one of the principal percussion ensembles of Thrissur Pooram, will be held at the Ilanjithara in the Sree Vadakkunnatha temple at 3 p.m. The melam known as the ‘great symphony’ will go on for one-and-a-half hours.

The melam, featuring about 250 instrumentalists, will be led by maestro Peruvanam Kuttan Marar. Later, the most attractive and colourful event in the gala, Kudamattam, will begin at 5.30 p.m.

Sequined parasols of varying designs and hues will be raised atop two groups of 15 decorated elephants facing each other near the southern entrance tower of the Vadakkumnathan temple at 5.30 p.m. and the thrilling competition of raising the parasols of varying colours by both Thiruvambadi and Pramekkavu will go on till 6.30 p.m. 

The other prime event of the Pooram is the grand show of fireworks at 3. a.m. on Monday that creates magic in the sky with light, sound and colours. By 8 a.m. on Thursday,  both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi will parade their 15 elephants on both  sides of the western entrance tower of the Vadaku-mnathan temple on Thekkinkkad maidan and leading elephants on both sides will come forward to bid farewell in front of the tower at the ‘Sreemoolasthanan’ bringing down the curtains on the fete.