Latest news with #ThrissurPooram
New Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Thrissur Pooram fiasco: Top cop to submit report soon, ADGP refutes charges
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who conducted an inquiry to ascertain whether any lapses by ADGP M R Ajith Kumar led to the disruption of the 2024 Thrissur Pooram, will file his report before the government soon. Shaik, who is set to retire on June 30, will file the report within two weeks, sources said. As part of the probe, he recorded Ajith's statements last week. The ADGP has refuted the allegations of lapses. Sources said he told the police chief that he had ensured all measures for the safe conduct of Pooram and the junior officers failed in their duty to execute the action plan. Sources said Ajith also rejected the accusation that he wilfully chose not to respond to calls made by Minister P Rajan when the Pooram fiasco took place. He said he was in touch with the minister until 10.30pm and after that he went to sleep.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
All the perfumes of Arabia will not wash away the corruption indulged in by CM Vijayan, says Venugopal
Tearing into the governance by the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led government which has been in power for nine years, AICC General Secretary and Alappuzha Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal on Monday slammed the inept way things were happening in Kerala. 'The stage has come when all the perfume of Arabia will not be able to wash away the stains of corruption indulged in by Vijayan,' said Venugopal. He said this while inaugurating the Nilambur Assembly bye-election convention and asked the people of Nilambur to ensure that everyone votes for Aryadan Shoukath, which will set the ball rolling for the exit of CM Vijayan, as the 2026 Assembly elections are round the corner. Venugopal said that by virtue of being the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, he was shocked to hear the sequence of events of what happened, when he attended the meeting held last week to discuss the crumbling of the National Highway (NH)-66 passing through Malappuram. 'I was really surprised to hear the way CM Vijayan, who was always taking credit for NH-66 till it crumbled, reacted to the news. The moment the news surfaced that NH-66 was breaking not at one place, but at several spots, he did not even go and visit the spots where the highway has developed cracks, despite being in Malappuram for the past two days,' said Venugopal. 'Since I was at the meeting last week with the Chairman of the National Highway Authority of India and the Transport Secretary, I know that major corruption has taken place in the construction of NH-66, but Vijayan now maintains stoic silence on the issue,' said Venugopal. Turning against CM Vijayan, who on Sunday spoke about being 'treacherous', Venugopal said if there was one person who could be equated to that word, it was none other than Vijayan, as all would recall the interview given by the Chief Minister to an English national daily wherein he insulted Malappuram district. 'CM Vijayan said that '150 kg of gold and hawala money worth Rs 123 crore were seized by the Kerala Police in the last five years from Malappuram district. This money is entering Kerala for anti-State and anti-national activities'. This is what Vijayan said and this is an insult to Malappuram ,' added Venugopal. "Another classic example of the treacherous role played by Vijayan is how he worked to see the victory of BJP candidate Suresh Gopi from the Thrissur Lok Sabha after he successfully created confusion at the famed Thrissur Pooram festivities," he pointed out. Nilambur goes to the polls on June 19 after sitting two-time Left Independent legislator quit the Assembly following difference of opinion with CM Vijayan. Pitted in the poll is Aryadan Shoukath of the Congress, M. Swaraj of the CPI-M, Mohan George of the BJP and Anvar, who is contesting as a candidate of the All India Trinamool Congress.
New Indian Express
14-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Jumbos turned violent owing to laser lights, says Paramekkavu Devaswom
THRISSUR: Though Thrissur Pooram this year concluded without any hitches, it seems the allegations didn't. Paramekkavu Devaswom, one of the factions that organises Thrissur Pooram, has come out against the use of laser torches or laser light sources in festival grounds, which they suspect was the reason behind elephants turning violent amid the parade. Paramekkavu Devaswom secretary G Rajesh alleged that the elephant didn't attack any people, after turning violent and all it did was to run amok. 'There is some reason behind the elephant turning panic and it should be probed. We suspect that some people with vested interest focused laser light on the elephant, leading to a chaotic situation,' he said. The devaswoms urged the district administration and police to ban laser lights in festival grounds for the safety of public. Both devaswoms had raised allegations against an animal rights organisation for conspiring to focus laser lights on the eyes of paraded elephants to deliberately create issues. In the incident during Thrissur Pooram, tusker Uttoly Raman came charging at people amid the elephant parade of Madathil Varavu ceremony of Thiruvambady Bhagavathy at midnight. The tusker didn't attack anyone. Instead it ran through a pocket road for about a kilometre. As many as 60 people were injured after they fell while trying to run away from the violent tusker.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Laser light attack on elephants: Devaswom alleges agenda to disrupt Pooram
Paramekkavu Devaswom authorities have raised an allegation that secret lobbies may be working behind the scenes to sabotage the Thrissur Pooram festival by targeting elephants using laser lights. Interacting with mediapersons here after the Pooram, Paramekkavu Devaswom secretary G. Rajesh claimed that laser lights were deliberately pointed to the eyes of elephants during Pooram events, including night parading and Kudamattom. He raised suspicion that such lights might have led to the accident just before the Pooram fireworks in which an elephant ran amok, causing injuries to many. He warned that had such an incident occurred during the Kudamattom it could have caused a massive disaster. Despite strict orders from the district administration against the use of laser lights during Pooram events, people continued to flash them during night-time processions and even during Kudamattom. Mr. Rajesh called for a ban on the sale of laser lights at festival venues and demanded strict action against those using them. He stressed that the ultimate goal of certain groups might be to put an end to the elephant processions.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Meet Aswathy and Archana, the first women to play the chenda at Thrissur Pooram
Thunderous fireworks, parading elephants, kudamattom (display of colourful parasols), and more. The Thrissur Pooram that dates back to 1796 draws thousands of visitors every year at the famed Vadakkumnathan temple. In the popular number 'Kaanta' by the band Masala Coffee, a woman asks her beloved if she can accompany him to the Pooram. The song goes on to describe what she would witness and do at the festival. One of the lines goes: 'Thimila anikonne kaananam kaanthaa... Thimilayil athilonne kottanam kaanthaa', loosely translated to, 'I want to see the hour-glass shaped drum, I want to play the hour-glass shaped drum'. Now, two women — Aswathy Jithin, 35, and Archana Anoop, 42, from Poomkunnam — not only played the thimila, but also were a part of pandi melam, one of the main percussion sets, becoming the first women to be part of the chenda melam at the Pooram. Aswathy, a native of Thrissur, grew up watching the Pooram. Marriage to Jithin Kallat, one of the main percussionists at the event, piqued her interest in the chenda. Her 13-year-old son Adithya learnt the chenda, and when he was about to have his debut performance in 2018, Aswathy was inspired to start learning. After learning for a year, she made her debut in 2019. Archana's story is similar. Three months into her son Udhav learning the chenda, she started training under Jithin, and made her debut in 2023, on Deepavali. Says Aswathy: 'My husband Jithin has been playing at the Pooram for 10 years now. This year, Archana chechi (elder sister) and I approached him and professed our wish to take part in it too. He agreed. The Devaswom Board did too. And thus, we got to be a part of valamthala or the right hand side of the percussion, in one of the back rows. The duo was part of the pandi melam, which is part of the procession to bring in shasthavu or Ayyapan's idol via the southern gate, and ending at the western gopuram. This isn't the first time women have been a part of the Pooram — in 2024, Hridya, a native of Thanikkudam, and Sreepriya, a native of Mulankunnathukavu, played the kuramkuzhal or wooden wind instrument similar to the flute. 'Our families have been very supportive,' says Archana, adding 'My mother has been receiving congratulatory calls.' The duo has till now been a part of at least 10 chenda melams, including those at Shankarakulangara Bhagavathy temple and Kanimangala Shastha temple. Aswathy says she has always felt a close association with the Pooram as her father, C. Nandakumar was a member of the Thrissur Pooram Ekopana Samithi, the group that ensures the pooram functions smoothly. 'We have always gone for poorams — not just the one at Thrissur — as a family and returned home in the wee hours of the morning,' she says. Like Aswathy, Archana too says she never had such aspirations as a child, but was musically inclined. Incidentally, both Archana and Aswathy were part of the marching bands at their respective schools in Palakkad and Thrissur. 'I suppose, we both were destined to be involved in music in some way,' Archana says. Both women now have set their sights on learning sopana sangeetham (sacred ritualistic songs, usually sung at a temple's nada or doorway). The chendas are heavy, weighing about 13-14 kg. 'It is a bit difficult to become one with the chenda when you start out; you tend to suffer from shoulder pain and body ache, but you get used to it. And while performing you usually get immersed in it, which makes you forget about the pain,' she says. The day before their performance, the women didn't think much of it. 'But on the morning of the Pooram, it dawned on me that it is the first time two women will play the chenda at Thrissur Pooram, an event Malayalees across the globe watch. But, once we started the melam, all the nervousness melted away,' Aswathy says. 'All the other artistes were very supportive as we joined the row of percussionists. We hope to be a part of Poorams at other temples too,' adds Archana.
