With percussion instruments doling out hypnotic rhythms and majestic elephants lined all over the city, the much popular and revered Thrissur Pooram is celebrated every year with grandeur. The meticulously planned 36-hour celebrations have always been picture-perfect.
A look at the various parts of the event in pictures
Thousands converged at Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur to celebrate the time-honoured Pooram festival. Believed to have started in the late 18th century, the festival has evolved into a socio-religious event. Naithilakavu Bhagavathi, one of the participants of the festival, walks out of the southern entrance of the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple. This marks the ritualistic beginning of the Pooram
‘Aanachamayam’, the ornaments to decorate elephants participating in the Pooram, on display
A worker digs holes to place mortars on the eve of the ‘Sample vedikettu’ in Thrissur. Colourful fireworks form an important part of the festival
Fireworks light up the sky in Thrissur.
The ‘pandal’ erected at the three entrances to the temple premises gets a colourful lighting.
Thrissur’s love for elephants is legendary. Devaswoms compete with each other to present the most majestic elephants. More than 70 elephants, the most sought-after ones, feature in ceremonies at Thrissur Pooram. Photo shows a peek into the Chembada (an assembly of percussion performance) at Paramekkavu Temple.
Decorated umbrellas, snow-white ‘venchamarams’ and peacock-feather ‘alavattoms’ create a vibrant backdrop to the mighty presence of the elephants. Photo shows ‘Kudamattam’ underway at Thrissur.