Thrissur Pooram festival: Significance of the special day

New Delhi: Thrissur Pooram is one of the most important festivals celebrated in Kerala. Several devotees throng the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur each year to partake in the Pooram festivities. This year it starts on April 25 and ends on the 26th. According to Malayalam Calendar, Pooram is the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the month of Medam.

On this day, Thechikottukavu Ramachandran named elephant opens the gates of the Vadakkunnathan temple in Kerala and the rituals begin. A huge procession of tuskers decorated beautifully remains the highlight of the traditional Hindu festival in the state.

Legend and Significance:

The Maharaja of Cochin, Sakthan Thampuran, also known as Raja Rama Varma is associated with the celebration of Thrissur Pooram festival. Much before the grand celebrations at Thrissur temple, the largest temple festival in Kerala was mainly a one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha known as Arattupuzha Pooram.

However, many believe that once it so happened that due to incessant rains, the participating temples of the city of Thrissur were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram and eventually denied access to the Pooram procession. The temples which were denied entry informed about the incident to their Maharaja who in turn started the grand Thrissur Pooram festival.

It is said that the Maharaja unified as many as 10 temples in and around Vadakkunnathan Temple and organised the celebration of Thrissur Pooram as a mass festival. Sakthan Thampuran invited adjoining temples with their deities to Thrissur to pay obeisance to Lord Vadakkunnathan (Lord Shiva) the presiding deity of the Vadakkunnathan Temple.

The festivities begin early morning and continue the next day as well. Devotees visit the temple and seek the blessings of the Lord.