THRISSUR: If one has to see the spirit of festival at its peak, then Elanjithara Melam of Paramekkavu Bhagavathy inside Sree Vadakkumnathan temple is the perfect moment. The tightly packed audience who arrived on Tuesday to witness the Pandi Melam led by Peruvanam Kuttan Marar proved it.
The melam which was set to happen at 2.30 pm began late. But it never turned off the spirit of spectators as everyone started dancing to the rhythm of Melam as it reached a crescendo at 4.30pm. Considered as the world’s largest percussion ensemble with the participation of more than 250 artists, Elanjithara Melam has always been a major crowd puller of Thrissur Pooram. Due to the large crowd that thronged the temple premises, the cops on duty found it difficult to manage the crowd. At some point, the police had to use force to ensure that people never crossed the barricades placed to separate the percussion artists from the large crowd.
Elanjithara Melam for Paramekkavu Bhagavathy is conducted based on the belief that the presence of Bhagavathy was first identified beneath the Elanji tree in Vadakkumnathan temple. Later, a temple for the Bhagavathy was built and the deity was shifted through tantric rituals.
Political leaders make a beeline for melam
Unlike previous years, this year the Elanjithara Melam witnessed a rare gathering of political personalities from various fronts in the district. Revenue Minister K Rajan and former agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar who belong to the CPI, Higher Education Minister R Bindhu, of the CPM, T N Prathapan, MP and former district president of Congress, Chandy Oommen, son of former CM Oommen Chandy, BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan, C P John of the CMP were all present at the Pooram venue extending support to the organisers. Sharing a light moment, leaders set aside their political inclinations for the joyous occasion of Pooram that also transcends the barriers of religion and beliefs.