THRISSUR: It is a year's wait for 'Pooram' lovers around the globe to gather at Thekkinkadu Maidanam and dance to the rhythm of Panchari and Pandi, on the day of Thrissur Pooram. But, this year, on Saturday, Thekkinkadu Maidanam wore a deserted look as temples cancelled Pooramcelebrations and stuck to inevitable rituals inside the temple.
With reminiscences of the Pooram in the previous years, Pooram lovers and elephant fans took the photos and memory notes to social media. Even though Pooram did not happen this year, it definitely awoke the creativity in people as many wrote poems of Poorammemories. While journalists shared the busy reporting hours of Thrissur Pooram, percussion artists have stories of making the melam, the best ever of the previous years.
According to Peruvanam Kuttan Marar, "missing Thrissur Pooramis definitely an upsetting one for us. It is an emotion that remains close to our heart. Ilanjithara melam is considered as the 'Melangalude Melam' and drumming it for four and a half hours at a stretch is a sort of unique experience. Now, we all wait for the next year's pooram." Percussion artists who make a living out of festival season missed almost all the major programmes including Guruvayur Utsavam, Arattupuzha-Peruvanam Pooramand Irinjalakkuda pooram.
On the day of Pooram, both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady temples follow the main rituals that includes Usha pooja,Ucha pooja, Arattu and Sreebhoothabali. Devotees have been a part of the Pooramrituals through making their e-offerings. The other 8 participating temples which include Neithalakkavu Bhagavathy, Kuttumukku Bhagavathy, Karamukku Bhagavathy, Chembukkavu Bhagavathy, Kanimangalam Sastha, Panamukkampilly Sastha, Ayyanthole Bhagavathy and Lalur Bhagavathy did not conduct the flag hoisting of the Pooramand hence no special rituals related to the festival were conducted here.
Amidst the coronavirus lockdown, the major missing for Pooram lovers is the grant fireworks display as strict regulations paved way to the cancellation of fireworks display in other parts of the state. The major Fireworks display used to take the Pooram sentiments to its peak when the colourful aerial crackers decorate the sky in the wee hours on the next day of pooram.
This year, explosive workers behind Thrissur Pooramalso feel the brunt of the corona lockdown, but Paramekkavu Devaswom ha come up with the plan of extending a helping hand to the people who lost their revenue due to the cancellation of Pooram.