| Thrissur Pooram | |
|---|---|
 Thrissur Pooram celebrations | |
| Official name | Thrissur Pooram |
| Observed by | Malayalees |
| Type | Hindutemple festival/public holidays in the city ofThrissur |
| Significance | Largest pooram in Kerala |
| Observances |
|
| Date | PooramNakshatra in the Malayalam Calendar month ofMedam |
TheThrissurPooram is an annual Hindutemple festival held inThrissur,Kerala,India. It is held at theVadakkunnathan Temple inThrissur every year on thePooram day—the day when the moon rises with thePooram star in theMalayalam Calendar month ofMedam. It is the largest and most famous of all poorams in India.[2] Thrissur pooram is also one of the largest festivals in Asia with more than 1 million visitors.[3] TheThrissurPooram Exhibition is conducted over a period of 40 to 50 days during the Thrissur Pooram.
Thrissur Pooram (തൃശ്ശൂര് പൂരം) was the brainchild ofSakthan Thampuran, theMaharaja of Cochin (1790–1805).[4] Before the start of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival inKerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha known asArattupuzha Pooram. Temples in and around the city of Thrissur were regular participants. In the year 1796 because of incessant rains, the temples from Thrissur Groups (Paramekkavu, Thiruvambadi, Chempukkavu, Karamukku, Lalur, Ayyanthol, Chakkulathukavu, Neythalakavu and Kanimangalam Temples) were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram and were denied access to the Pooram procession. Feeling embarrassed and angered by the denial, the banned temple groups complained to Sakthan Thampuran.[5] he decided to challenge the ban by starting Thrissur Pooram on the Pooram day in the month of May in the same year as a mass festival. He invited temples with their deities to the city of Thrissur to pay obeisance to Vadakkunnathan (Shiva), the presiding deity of theVadakkunnathan Temple.[5] Something unique about this festival is that everything used in the festival is made fresh every year from scratch. There are people who are given the duty to craft the umbrellas and the nettipattam.[6]
Sakthan Thampuran ordained the temples into two groups, namely "Paramekkavu side" and "Thiruvambady side". These are headed by the principal participants,Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple at Thrissur Swaraj Round andThiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple at Shoranur road.
The Pooram is centered on theVadakkunnathan Temple, with all these temples sending their processions to pay obeisance to theShiva, the presiding deity. The Thampuran is believed to have chalked out the program and the main events of the Thrissur Pooram festival.[7][8][9][10]
The pooram officially begins from the event of flag hoisting (കൊടിയേറ്റം).[11] The flag hosting ceremony (Kodiyettam) begins seven days beforeThrissur Pooram. All the participating temples of Thrissur Pooram are present for the ceremony, and there is a light fireworks display to announce the commencement of the festival.
Poora Vilambaram is a custom where the elephant pushes open the south entrance gate at 12 PM of theVadakkunnathan Temple, which hosts theThrissur Pooram, with the idol of 'Neithilakkavilamma' atop it.[12]Ernakulam Sivakumar has ceremoniously opened the thekke gopura nada (South Gate) of theVadakkunnathan temple in the years 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Another prominent elephant who has had the honour of opening the gate in the past isThechikottukavu Ramachandran.[13][14]
The first round of pyrotechnics, known asSample Vedikettu, happens on the fourth day after the flag hoisting of the Pooram. It is a one-hour show presented by Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms.Swaraj Round is the venue for this fireworks and starts at 7:15 pm. The display usually has innovative patterns and varieties of fireworks.[15] Even though there were several controversies, permission was granted to conduct Thrissur Pooram in 2017[16]
The golden elephantcaparison (Nettipattam), elephant accoutrements (Chamayam), ornamental fan made of peacock feathers (Aalavattom), royal fan (Venchamarom), sacred bells and decorative umbrellas are prepared new byThiruvambady andParamekkavu Devawsoms separately. Paramekkavu Devaswom exhibits this at the Agrasala inThrissur City, and the Thiruvambady Devaswom displays the caparisons at theChurch Mission Society High School inThrissur City on the fourth and fifth day before the Pooram. In 2014 and 2015, it was displayed in Kousthubham Hall at Shornur Road[17]
On pooram day, the participants from their temples parades with music and elephants decorated with thidambu and caparisons to Srimoolasthanam of Vadakkumnathan Temple twice – in the morning and at night. Pooram day officially starts with the arrival of Kanimangalam Sastha in the early morning.
| Temple | Morning Time | Evening Time | Elephants | Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanimangalam | 7.30 am - 8.30 am | 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm | 9 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Panekkammpilly | 8.30 am - 9.00 am | 8.30 pm - 9.30 pm | 3 | Panchavadyam, Panjari melam |
| Chempukkavu | 7.45 am - 8.45 am | 8.15 pm - 9.15 pm | 3 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Karumukku - Pukkatikara | 8.30 am - 9.30 am | 9.00 pm - 10.00 pm | 9 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Lalur | 9.00 am - 10.30 am | 9.30 pm - 10.30 pm | 9 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Choorakkottukkavu | 9.30 am - 11.00 am | 10.00 pm - 12.00 am | 14 | Nadaswaram, Pandi melam |
| Ayyanthole | 10.00 am - 12.00 pm | 11.00 pm - 12.30 am | 13 | Panchavadyam, Pandi melam |
| Neythalakkavu | 11.00 am - 1.00 pm | 12.00 am - 1.00 am | 11 | Nadaswaram, Pandi melam |
The processions of the principal participants––Thiruvambady and Parammekavu––are the most awaited and major events of the pooram.
Thiruvambady arrives to Vadakkumnathan from Brahmaswam Madham (vedic institution), with a panchavadhyam concert called "Madathil varavu", with artists numbering uppto 40 members with instruments such as thimila, madhalam, trumpet, cymbal and edakka. Paramekkavu begins its procession with apandi melam in front of its temple at around 11:30 a.m and gradually enters the Vadakkamnuthan temple by 1:30 p.m.
At 2:00 p.m, inside theVadakkumnathan Temple starts the "Ilanjithara melam", one of the central attractions of the pooram, consisting of drum, trumpets, pipe and cymbal.
Thrissur Pooram’s grandest moment unfolded with the iconicKudamattam ritual. Thirty caparisoned elephants — 15 each from theParamekkavu Bagavathi Temple andThiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple stood face-to-face in ceremonial formation.
Atop these majestic elephants, parasol bearers engaged in the rapid display ofKudamattam, the rhythmic switching of vividly coloured ornamental silk umbrellas. The spectacle was further elevated by the gleam ofnettipattams (golden forehead ornaments), the elegant flutter ofvenchamaram (fans made from peacock feathers), and the regal presence ofmuthukkuda (decorative umbrellas).[18][19][20]
Thrissur pooram main fireworks (vedikettu / വെടിക്കെട്ട് ) are well renowned all over the country. This amazing display of fireworks is held in the heart of Thrissur city, inThekkinkadu Maidan.
Thiruvambadi and Parmekavu are the main participants in this event. The main fireworks begin in the early morning of the seventh day. Most pooram enthusiasts stay up all night to get a better view of the fireworks. People come from faraway places to watch this amazing display ofpyrotechnics. There are four major firework displays in Thrissur Pooram: the 'sample fireworks' on the day before the Pooram, the colorful sparklers that light up the sky (amittu) by both sides on the Pooram evening after the Southward Descent, the most impressive event that mark the peak of Pooram celebrations in the early morning hours, and the final fireworks the following noon after the goddesses bid farewell to each other that mark the end of the pooram.
The seventh day of the pooram is the last day. It is also known as "Pakal Pooram" (പകല് പൂരം). For the people of Thrissur, the pooram is not only a festival but also a time for hospitality. Upacharam Cholli Piriyal (ഉപചാരം ചൊല്ലി പിരിയല്) (farewell ceremony) is the last event held atSwaraj Round.Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple andParamekkavu Bagavathi Temple idols were taken from theSwaraj Round to their respective temples to mark the end of the Pooram celebrations. The festival ends with display of fireworks known as Pakal Vedikkettu.[21][22]
For the 2025Thrissur Pooram festival, a 4,000-memberThrissur City Police team was deployed. The deployment included not just local police but also specialised units such as theNational Disaster Response Force (NDRF),Thunderbolt, and Urban Commandos. The number ofclosed-circuit television cameras installed throughout the city was increased from 250 to 350 to aid in monitoring and crime prevention.[23]
Thrissur City Police deployed a dedicated cyber team to monitor and cleanse digital platforms of potentially inflammatory content in the run-up to theThrissur Pooram festival. A 20-member unit comprising officers with digital expertise was tasked with identifying and removing communal or politically charged messages that could incite unrest. This marked the first time thatKerala Police initiated such a step specifically for Pooram-related online surveillance.[24]
Thrissur District Collector Arjun Pandian has stated that an estimated 18 to 20 lakh people are expected to participate in the 2025 edition ofThrissur Pooram.[25][26]
The pooram has a good collection of elephants (more than 50) decorated with nettipattam (decorative golden headdress), strikingly crafted Kolam, decorative bells, and ornaments.
Despite being a Hindu festival, the Thrissur Pooram is attended by different sections of Kerala society.[27] Several replicas of the festival are held in places in Kerala[28] as well as outside the state.[29][30][31]
Thrissur Pooram is considered one of the greatest gatherings in Asia. It has an important place in the tourism map of India, as tourists enjoy the beauty and traditions of this pooram. Rail and bus connectivity is excellent in Thrissur, which attracts many foreign tourists to the gala. It is considered as meeting of Devas (ദേവ സംഗമം).
The Oscar-winning sound editorResul Pookutty and his team recorded the sounds of the 36-hour festivities and made a movieThe Sound Story.[32]
Thrissur Pooram.
Tourist attractions inThrissur | ||
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