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Kerala celebrates Trichur Pooram with pomp and show

     Trichur (Kerala): It was a magnificent display of pomp and show at the annual Trichur Pooram festival in Kerala state on Wednesday as thousands thronged the temple town to celebrate 200 years of the festival. The biggest of all festivals in the state, Trichur Pooram is a seven-day affair dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of destruction. Historians say the festival began 200 years ago in 1805 AD. Celebrated in Medom (April-May) it consists of a procession of richly caparisoned elephants from the neighbouring temples to the Vadakumnathan temple in Trichur. Temples from the surrounding villages each send an elephant as their representative and each of the pachyderms, decorated beautifully with golden head mast, face each other on opposite ends. Dozens of musicians beat traditional drums in a warlike rhythm, adding to the ear-splitting sound of wind instruments. While for the locals the annual festival means family reunions, new dresses, sumptuous food and merrymaking, the spectacle left foreign visitors groping for words. "It's been really great, many people, specially the elephants are great here. It's a bit hot, but, India is marvelous," said Gustavos, a tourist from Alabama. "The elephants are marvelous, got no complaints, they are big though. Indians are very cool, and funny and brilliant," said James, a tourist from England. The temple's main deity's decorated image was mounted on the biggest tusker, reverently held by the chief priest while his subordinates handled traditional fans. The word "pooram" literally means a group or a meeting and it was believed that every year the gods and goddesses meet for a day of celebration, each arriving on a majestic tusker. Although, the festival is primarily a Hindu religious festival, people from other communities equally involve themselves in it.
-Apr 21, 2005