THRISSUR: Thrissur Pooram, the ultimate festival and splendour of traditions, ostentatious ceremonies, magnificent and rhythmic parade of caparisoned elephants, staged at the Thekkinkad Maidan here on Sunday was witnessed by lakhs from far and wide in an atmosphere of cultural and religious harmony.
The mounting mass of humanity, unmindful of the searing heat of the torrid sun, melted to become part of the enchanting procession of mighty tuskers adorned with shimmering silk and golden trappings, carrying the deities of Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu temples. While the mighty tusker Thiruvambady Sivasundar carried the `kolam’ of Thiruvambady temple, the lofty Kuttankulangara Arjunan carried the ‘Thidambu’ of Paramekkavu Bhagavathi during the main processions.
The variegated show of elanjithara melam unrivalled so far in temple festivals, producing a symphony beyond worlds and the hour-long divine durbar of `kudamattam’ competition atop 30 mighty tuskers in the afternoon, offered a fabulous feast of art, culture and tradition to the multitude.
The 30-hour cultural extravaganza which concentrated on the Swaraj Round and Thekkinkad Maidan encircling the imposing Sri Vadakkunathan Temple began at 6 a.m. on Sunday and would conclude after 30 hours at noon on Monday.
The most enchanting sight of the morning hours of the two-century-old festival was the procession from Thiruvambady, which emerged out from the temple at 8 a.m. in a parade of three mighty tuskers through the Shoranur road. The procession was more sacred than spectacular as housewives and shopkeepers received it on its route with nirapara and nilavlakku.
The procession moved to Brahmaswom Mathom where the heads of old Vedic Mutt played the hosts to Devi. After an hour-long interval the procession known as ‘madathil varavu’ began. When the procession reached Naickanal junction in Swaraj Round, it spread into a line of 15 elephants and moved southward to the Sreemoolasthan.
Meanwhile, the glittering procession of Paramekkavu Devi has started from her abode in a procession of 15 fully decorated tuskers at 12.30 noon. This pageant entered Sri Vadakkunathan temple through the eastern gopuram and took its position near the temple theatre for the two hour long ‘elanjithara melam’. After the melam, the procession came out through the southern gopuram and took position in Swaraj Round facing the Southern Gopuram of Vadakkunathan Temple. The Thiruvambady followed and spread out its 15 elephants facing the Paramekkavu pageant.