Latest news with #ThrissurPooramfestival
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Thrissur Pooram 2025 is going on at full swing
Devotees thronged Vadakkumnathan Temple as the acclaimed 36-hour long annual Thrissur Pooram festival began. The festival kicked off with fast beats of percussion instruments and conches blowing . The Pooram, known as the mother of all 'Poorams', officially kicked off on the night of May 5 as Neythalakavilamma made her majestic entry, escorted with devotion and ceremony, opening the Thekke Gopura Nada of the Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple.
Times of Oman
06-05-2025
- General
- Times of Oman
Thrissur Pooram, Kerala's grand festival begins with devotees thronging temple town's Thekkinkadu Maidan
Thrissur: The acclaimed 36-hour long annual Thrissur Pooram festival that began at the Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple here kicked off a day ago with fast beats of percussion instruments, conches blowing, and devotees thronging the Thekkinkadu Maidan of the temple. The Pooram, known as the mother of all 'Poorams', officially kicked off on the night of May 5 as Neythalakavilamma made her majestic entry, escorted with devotion and ceremony, opening the Thekke Gopura Nada of the Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple. Each deity participating in Thrissur Pooram has a distinct role and responsibility. Neythalakavilamma's duty is to prepare the way for Kanimangalam Shasta's early morning arrival on Pooram day, symbolically opening the South Gopuram for his entry. Processions of deities from the 10 temples in and around Thrissur converge at the Vadukkumnathan Temple to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva. The festival, which is celebrated on the day of 'Pooram' as per the Malayalam calendar month of Medam, is popularly known for its parading of elephants, Panchavadyam (percussion ensemble), and mega display of fireworks. The festival attracts huge crowds from across Kerala and other states. On the Pooram day, the festivities begin with the ceremonial entrance of 'Kanimangalam Sastha through the southern gopuram, and it is followed by the arrival of Panamukkampilly Sathavu, Chembookavu Karthiayani Devi, Karamukku Karthiyani Devi, Choorakkottukavu Durga Devi, Ayyanthole Karthiayani Devi, and Naithalakavu Bhagavathi. Fireworks conducted as part of the celebration is one of the many attractions of the festivity. Though the Pooram happens in the summer month, people brave the scorching heat to be part of the celebration.
India Today
05-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Thrissur Pooram returns with grandeur after last year's political disruption
Kerala's iconic Thrissur Pooram festival is set to take place tomorrow, following the ceremonial announcement, known as 'Pooram Vilambaram', which was held today in a grand and traditional revered tusker Ernakulam Shivakumar carried the idol of Neythalakav Bhagavathy and ceremoniously opened the southern entrance (Thekke Nada) of the Vadakkumnathan temple, officially marking the commencement of the Pooram festivities. Thousands of devotees and festival enthusiasts gathered at the temple to witness the momentous intense heat and heavy morning rain, the crowd waited patiently for hours to glimpse the ceremonial entry. Their anticipation turned to jubilant celebration as Ernakulam Shivakumar, affectionately known as Sahya Putran, majestically bore Neythalakavilamma on his forehead and opened the temple gates. The elephant then raised its trunk in a symbolic gesture, formally announcing the arrival of Pooram. The morning downpour gave way to clear skies by midday, lifting the spirits of those assembled. The ceremonial procession, locally referred to as the 'Ezhunnallippu', began at around 8 am from Neythalakkavu and reached the grounds of the Vadakkumnathan temple by 1 pm, passing through the archways and culminating at Thekke Nada. The route was lined with elephant enthusiasts and festival-goers, while traditional percussion ensembles (melam) set the rhythm for the jubilant year's Thrissur Pooram carries added significance, following the political controversy that marred last year's edition. Held just a week before Kerala went to the polls for the Lok Sabha elections, the 2024 Pooram was disrupted in a series of incidents that triggered widespread public 19 April 2024, the day of Thrissur Pooram, police were accused of using excessive force to control crowds and of imposing unusually strict restrictions, including barricading entry points. For the first time in the festival's history, the traditional fireworks display was held during the daytime, widely seen as a form of protest against police to these events, action was taken against the Thrissur city police commissioner and assistant commissioner. An inquiry led by senior officer Ajith Kumar was submitted to the Chief Minister on September 24. However, the Opposition dismissed the report as a farce, accusing Kumar of shifting blame onto the temple board while ignoring the failures of the Reel IN THIS STORY#Kerala
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Kerala ministers review preparations for Thrissur Pooram festival
Top officials including Kerala temple affairs minister VN Vasavan, revenue minister and district in-charge K Rajan and Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi reviewed the arrangements for the annual Thrissur Pooram festival scheduled to be held on Tuesday. The sample display of bursting of firecrackers in the run up to the Pooram festivities was conducted on Sunday evening in which one personnel of the Fire and Rescue Services suffered simple injuries. He was hospitalised following the incident. The Thrissur Pooram is the largest Hindu temple festival in Kerala and is attended by thousands of people. Celebrated on the grounds of the Vadakkumnathan temple in the heart of Thrissur town, it features processions involving dozens of percussionists and captive elephants carrying the deities of two principal temples — Paramekkavu Bhagavathy temple and Thiruvambady Sree Krishna temple — and eight other smaller temples located within a few kilometres of the main town. The highlights of the Pooram include the 'vilambaram' as part of which an elephant carrying the deity of Neithilakkavu Bhagavathy opens the southern door of the Vadakkumnathan temple, the 'madathil varavu' as part of which over 40 percussionists engage in a frenetic display of 'panchari melam', the 'kudamattom' in which umbrellas in all kinds of colours, shapes and patterns are exchanged atop 30 elephants and finally the display of firecrackers or 'vedikettu'. Ministers Vasavan and Rajan and MP Gopi took part in a meeting with top cops and temple officials to review the security arrangements of the festival on Sunday. 'The Thrissur Pooram must not be made a venue for the display of any kind of symbols or flags of any political party. The police have been directed to take strict action on such incidents. There have been such isolated incidents at other temple festivals,' the temple affairs minister told reporters. Minister Rajan supported his colleague on the issue. 'When any festival takes place, the mind of any Malayali is secular. There must not be any kind of differences of political opinion on this. Religious differences must not be created at such festival venues.' Lok Sabha MP Gopi said he was 'blessed' by the people of Thrissur to be elected as MP and subsequently Union minister of state and underlined that he looked forward to witnessing the Pooram in person this time. 'I have only watched the Pooram on earlier occasions on television. This is the first time I will be able to witness the Pooram closely along with other people. I feel blessed. I had never imagined that I would be here in Thrissur as an MP and Union Minister at the time of Pooram,' the BJP leader said. The MP supported the minister's stand on the display of religious and political symbols during the Pooram. 'It's a good decision because the festival is a social wealth. It must be made acceptable to everyone without hindering the rituals associated with the festival,' said Gopi. Last year's Pooram had fallen in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in which a frenetic political contest was seen between BJP's Gopi, K Muraleedharan of the Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of the CPI. When results came, Gopi beat Kumar by 74,686 votes, the first time a BJP candidate won a LS contest in Kerala. The Pooram festivities last year also saw a disruption with the enthusiasts not being able to witness several rituals due to a large number of police barricades and alleged high-handedness on the part of the security forces. There were several delays in the rituals including the display of firecrackers. A three-tier probe was announced by the state government last year in which then ADGP MR Ajith Kumar remains one of the key accused.
