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New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Hundreds cheer as tusker Ernakulam Sivakumar heralds pooram festivities in traditional ceremony
THRISSUR : With hundreds of pooram enthusiasts watching in awe, majestic tusker Ernakulam Sivakumar, carrying the idol of Neythalakkavu Bhagavathy, pushed open the door of the south tower gate (Thekke Gopura Nada) of Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple on Monday, heralding the 229th edition of Thrissur Pooram. The procession from the Neythalakkavu temple began around 10am and was welcomed with a grand panchari melam at Thekkinkadu Maidan. After a percussion performance lasting around two hours, the procession moved to the Vadakkumnathan temple. The south tower gate, which remains closed through the year, opens only for Thrissur Pooram. Once Neythalakkavu Bhagavathy opens the door, heralding the pooram, the 30-hour-long rituals related to the main festival begins. 'Each temple participating in Thrissur Pooram has its own roles and responsibilities. It is the right of Neythalakkavu Bhagavathy to open the south tower gate,' said Vinod Kandamkavil, of the Poora Premi Sangham. Rama, a Thrissur resident, said her family has been attending the pooram heralding ceremony since tusker Thechikottukavu Ramachandran started leading it. 'Though Ramachandran is carrying Chembukkavu Bhagavathy's idol this year, we didn't want to miss this sight,' she said.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Thrissur Pooram a celebration of jumbos, too
THRISSUR: All festivals, irrespective of religious differences, serve as a gathering of people. But it is rare for a festival to also become a gathering of animals, elephants in the case of Thrissur Pooram. Kerala's celebrity tuskers — including Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, Ernakulam Sivakumar, Guruvayur Nandhan and Pambady Rajan — are all set to participate in the pooram this year, attracting jumbo fans to the festival ground. Every year, close to 100 captive elephants of Kerala participate in the rituals associated with the Thrissur Pooram, making it the only opportunity for festival enthusiasts to see and click photographs of such a large number of jumbos. The preparations for jumbos to participate in the annual festival begins early as fitness is of utmost importance. Ernakulam Sivakumar, owned by the Cochin Devaswom Board, will carry the idol of Neythalakavu Bhagavathy, heralding the pooram, at 11am on Monday. When Neythalakavu Bhagavathy opens the Thekke Gopura nada (south gate), the 36-hour pooram ceremonies are kickstarted. On the day of Thrissur Pooram on May 6, Thechikottukavu Ramachandran will carry the idol of Chembukkavu Bhagavathy for the ghataka pooram. Thiruvambady Chandrasekharan will carry the idol of Thiruvambady Bhagavathy for the major pooram rituals including Madathil Varavu and Kudamattom. Guruvayur Nandhan will carry the idol of Paramekkavu Bhagavathy for Elanjithara Melam and Kudamattom. Paramekkavu Kasinathan will also carry the idol of Bhagavathy for other rituals including Arattu. Other prominent jumbos set to participate include Kuttankulangara Arjunan, Puthupally Arjunan, Pallat Brahmadathan, Koodalmanickyam Megharjunan, Bastin Vinayasundar, Thiruvazhapilly Mahadevan, and Thadathavila Rajasekharan.
