Kerala's biggest temple festival Thrissur Pooram in pictures

Traditional pomp and glory and the whopping participation of festival buffs including foreigners marked the conclusion of yet another edition of Kerala's Thrissur Pooram, considered as the mother of all temple festivals, here today.

Traditional pomp and glory and the whopping participation of festival buffs including foreigners marked the conclusion of yet another edition of Kerala's Thrissur Pooram, considered as the mother of all temple festivals, here today. (Express Photo | Albin 

The two century-old festival, held at the sprawling Thekkinkadu ground in front of the famed Vadakkunnatha Temple here, provided a visual treat to a large number of people who thronged the venue. (Express Photo | Albin Mathew)

The face-to-face meeting of 30 richly caparisoned elephants'--15 each from the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady, the two local temples, was a spectacle. A colourful display of fireworks in the wee hours of tomorrow would mark the grand finale of the Pooram festivities. (Express Photo | Albin Mathew)

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (in pic), who was present here to witness the festivities, said in a Facebook post that the Thrissur Pooram was a 'secular festival' of Kerala. The state government would do all possible things to showcase the Pooram, which is a pride of Malayalis world over, without losing its glory, he said. (Express Photo | Albin Mathew)

The Thrissur Pooram had its origin in 1798 through a royal edict of'Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as Shakthan Thampuran, a powerful ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Cochin. The edict entrusted two local temples ' Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady ' as the main sponsors to conduct the 'pooram' on the grounds of the Vadakkunnathan temple in the heart of Thrissur city. (Express Photo | Albin Mathew)