Kerala's Thrissur Pooram
When the moon rises with the Pooram star in Kerala, India the
community gathers to celebrate Thrissur Pooram, a religious and cultural
festival of festivals every year.
The event, which is celebrated in temples, is scheduled according
to the Malayalam Calendar, a solar Hindu calendar that dates back to 825 CE. This
year, according to the Gregorian calendar it will take place April 17.
This particular event was developed by the Maharaja of Cochin
who in 1798 tried to unite all of the temples with a shared festival.
It is believed that during Thrissur Pooram the gods and
goddesses of all temples assemble at Kerala’s Vadakkumnathan Temple. This
unification is dedicated to goddesses
Durga , considered to be the principal deity of creation, preservation and annihilation,
and can last up to 36 hours.
Festival of Elephants
It is also known as the Festival of Elephants for two reasons.
First, it is thought that the deities’ arrive by elephant which is viewed as a
sacred animal. Second, there are processions of decorated elephants and
ecstatic music to the temple.
One of the more interesting aspects of Thrissur Pooram
elephants are the colorful caparisons they wear on their heads. In many cases
they are made of gold and can include jewel-like stones and peacock feathers.
Cultural aspect
Although it is a religious experience it is also cultural. The
Kerala community has developed an exhibition that draws a fair number of people
each year. It is basically secular in nature so can be enjoyed by those of
other faiths.
Another interesting feature of Thrissur Pooram are the
elephant caparisons.
Fortunately, along with educating others about this valuable
tradition, this elaborate celebration of fireworks and more also provides a
source of revenue shared by all of the temples.
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