Thrissur Pooram
UNESCO's Most Spectacular Festival on the Planet
Thrissur is a small town situated in the centre of the state of Kerala and is known as the cultural capital of the state. It spans an area of about 66.15 sq.km and is built around a hillock overlooking the city. The original name of the town was Trisshivaperur – which can be cut down to Thiru-Shiva-Perur, which literally means the City of the Sacred Shiva. In ancient days it was also known as Vrishachala (Vrisha means bull and refers to Nandi, the bull vehicle of Shiva). Perched on the hillock round which the city has grown, is the magnificent mandir of Vadakkunathan, Lord Shiva, because of whom the town was also known as Kailasha, the abode of Lord Shiva in the south. The Vadakkunathan Mandir is believed to have been founded by Lord Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The main mandir complex is spread over 9 acres, encircled by 64 acres of land called Thekkinkadu or forest of teakwood. Unfortunately all the forest has been cut down through the years but the land encircling the mandir is one of the largest roundabouts in the world. The four Gopurams (gateways) of the mandir are beautifully carved out of wooden pillars using amazing architectural techniques. According to legend, the parents of Adi Shankaracharya came to Thrissur and observed a strict vow for forty-one days in order to get Lord Shiva’s blessings for a son. It is said that Shiva himself took an incarnation as their son.
The mandir has been declared as a national monument by the Union Government under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
The early political history of the district is interlinked with that of the “Chera Empire” of the Sangham age, which ruled over vast portions of Kerala with their capital at Vanchi. The whole of the present Thrissur District was included in the early Chera Empire. The district has played a significant part in fostering the trade and cultural relations between Kerala and the outside world in the ancient and medieval period. Kodungallur is a city which was part of Thrissur which had the unique distinction of being the first to give shelter to all the three communities (Christians, Jews and Muslims) who have all contributed to the prosperity of Kerala.
Thrissur is known as the land of Poorams (mandir festivals) and Thrissur Pooram is referred to as the festival of all festivals and is celebrated on the grounds surrounding the Vadakkunathan Mandir. The Thrissur Pooram is actually one of the most spectacular festivals in the world. It would be difficult to find a celebration of this size anywhere else in the world. The event takes place every year in the month of Vaishakam or “Medam” (April/May) according to the Malayalam calendar.
Actually every big mandir in Kerala has a Pooram or mandir festival conducted with caparisoned elephants, drums etc. In olden days the biggest Pooram in Kerala was the one-day festival held at the mandir of Arattupuzha. All the smaller mandirs in and around Thrissur District used to take part in the festival and take their own elephants to join the main function. One year, due to incessant rains, they were late in reaching the site of the Pooram which was conducted in the huge field in front of the mandir. They were stopped from joining the Pooram. They felt most insulted and went with their complaints to Raja Rama Varma, the Maharaja of Cochin (1751-1805) who was familiarly known as Shaktan Thampuran. The Raja told them not to worry and he would organise another event which would include all the mandirs in and around Thrissur. In 1798 he organised an event in Thrissur which included ten mandirs around the city.
The royal edict entrusted two of the local mandirs – Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi – as the main sponsors of the festivities which would be conducted as a kind of competition between the deities of the two mandirs. Ten mandirs would take part in the festivities. They formed two groups known as the eastern and western groups. The deities of these outlying mandirs were invited by Lord Vadakkunathan himself to come and offer obeisance to him. He himself never participated in anything but everything was conducted on the huge grounds surrounding his mandirs under his loving gaze.
The western group belongs to the Sri Krishna Mandir of Thiruvambadi but the main participant is not Krishna but the Devi who also resides in the mandir. The other participants in the western group are from the mandirs of Kanimangalam, Laloor, Ayyanthole and Nethilakkav.
The eastern group is led by the famous Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Mandir, who is a very powerful Devi. Other mandirs are Karamuk, Chembukav, Choorakottukav and Panamukkamppilly.
All these lesser Poorams or processions eventually led to the huge Round of the Vadakkunathan Mandir. As mentioned before, Lord Shiva remains a spectator during the festival. He loans the premises and conveniences for the Pooram. No offering is received nor is any expenditure incurred by him in connection with the Pooram. Not even a special puja is offered to him on the occasion.
The Pooram is actually a seven-day festival starting with the Kodiyettam or flag hoisting ceremony which takes place seven days before the actual procession. The mandir flag is hoisted with all due ceremonies at the main mandirs of Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. The main Pooram (on the sixth day) happens every year on the day when the “pooram” star rises in the sky in the Malayalam month of Medam. The Raja and the priests of the two other important mandirs, the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi, pay obeisance to Shiva, the presiding deity of the Vadakkunathan Mandir. To this day the priests of the two mandirs and their processions stand opposite each other with the idol of Lord Shiva placed in the centre.
On the fourth day there is a mock display of fireworks on the mandir grounds. On the fifth day, the ornaments and parasols of the contending factions are displayed in their respective halls. The actual festival commences on the sixth day morning with the procession (ezhunellippu) of the Kanimangalam Shasta (Ayyappa), in the morning at about 8 am. When it reaches the Thiruvambadi Mandir, the elephant carrying the insignia of Lord Krishna, comes out of the mandir and all the other mandirs belonging to the western group proceed to walk very slowly to the accompaniment of bugles and trumpets and drums, towards the Round where Vadakkunathan is situated. When the western group is almost reaching the Round at about noon, the Devi of the Paramekkavu Mandir comes out with all resplendence and is joined by her entourage consisting of the other mandirs.
This festival is noted for attracting all the best performers in percussion instruments from Tamil Nadu. One of the major events of the Pooram is known as “Madatthil Varavu” in which the procession from the Thiruvambadi Mandir is accompanied by a certain number of expert musicians in order to participate in the orchestra consisting of five instruments – Thimmila, Maddhalam, curved trumpets, cymbals and something called an Edakka. The music made by these five is known as “Panchavadyam” and is a treat for all lovers of percussion instruments. Two hundred famous artists take part in this. Many people come to listen and follow the procession as it slowly winds its way to the main Round.
By noon, the crowds assemble in large numbers at the Thekkinkadu Maidan or Round following the procession of Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Mandir. The procession of the Paramekkavu Devi along with the accompaniment of Pandimelam also enters the compound of the Vadakkunathan Mandir. The excitement reaches its peak when the two elephants, one carrying the huge image of Thiruvambadi Krishna and the other of Paramekkavu Devi come face to face with each other.
By 2 pm all the various processions coming from all sides of the Round will converge inside the mandir under a huge tree known as “Elanji” which has lovely sweet smelling flowers that bloom in the night. The dazzling and highly appreciated classic performance of musical instruments called Elanjithara Melam begins when the two processions reach the Elanji tree inside the mandir compound. The instruments consist of drums, curved trumpets, cymbals and pipes which gives a unique flavour to the music, quite different from the “Panchavadyam.”
The three traditional percussion orchestras are known as Pancharimelam, Pandimelam and Panchavadyam.
At 4 pm, both the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi groups enter the Vadakkunathan Mandir through the western gate or Gopuram and come out through the southern Gopuram and descend to the road. Here each group arrays itself, facing each other at a distance of about 25 ft. The south Gopuram is opened only for the occasion of the Pooram and there is a special ceremony attached to this. The goddess from the small mandir called Nethilakkav is the one who is designated to come first and open this great gateway through which the others come out.
The highlight of the festival is the spectacular pageant of fifteen beautifully caparisoned elephants on either side, coming from all the various mandirs. Here the two sides engage in a competitive display of brightly coloured and sequined parasols which is known as Kudamattam. The men carrying the parasols stand on top of the elephants. How they balance themselves is a mystery. The main elephant in the middle carries the beautiful “kolam” or golden figure of the Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu deities. Behind that stands the man carrying the parasol and behind that the man carrying the yak-tail fans and the peacock feather fans! The umbrellas are changed in swift rhythmic style in keeping with the music of the melam which is being played with great gusto by the musicians in front of the elephants. This is really a brilliant display of colour and music and the spiritual fervour reaches a crescendo as the musicians play with greater and greater gusto. Each side vies with the other in producing better and more imaginative displays of parasols. After this there is a lull in the festivities until the next event which starts at night.
That night the whole of Thrissur is lit up with the amazing display of fireworks that are set off on the Round. Each of the competitors bring their set of fireworks and place it on the ground. The chief priests of each mandir go forward and bless the firework set so that no harm comes to the participants. At about 10 pm in the night one by one the competing sides start setting out one brilliant meteor after the other in quick succession. This spectacular event lasts for three or four hours in the night, starting from about 8 pm and ending at 2 am. The signal to start used to be given by a huge garland of gunpowder wrapped in coconut leaves which was wound round and round some poles. When this garland was ignited by both sides the sound would be so terrific that it could even break the window panes of houses close to the Round. This was the signal for each party to set off beautiful fireworks, each more splendid than the last. It was a friendly rivalry which went on till 2 am in the morning.
All these details were planned by the Raja himself to give the common man a colourful vision of life. He wanted everyone to be a part of this festival and to this day that dream is being fulfilled.
The festival ends on the 7th day in the morning when the two deities of the opposing teams meet under the Elanji tree once again. It’s a very touching scene to see the elephants carrying the deities go forward to the beating of drums and clasp each other’s trunks and wish each other a tender farewell and a promise to meet each other once again at the same place and same time one year later!
This year, 2022, the date of the Thrissur Pooram is May 10th. After not having been able to celebrate this festival for two years it is expected that this year will excel all the years that have gone by!
Aum Namashivaya!
Watch the Thrissur Pooram live from the Vadakkunathan Mandir here:
अद्भुत
ॐ नम: शिवाय