THRISSUR: Ending days of uncertainty, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s intervention has helped resolve the crisis surrounding the conduct of Thrissur Pooram. After a virtual meeting held on Friday, it has been decided to continue with the same rent as last season – `42 lakh – for using Thekkinkad Maidan as the pooram exhibition venue.
Earlier, the Cochin Devaswom Board had directed the Thrissur Pooram exhibition committee, comprising officials from the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady devaswoms, to pay a rent of Rs 2.2 crore for Thekkinkad Maidan. The devaswoms contended that the income from the exhibition was crucial for the smooth conduct of the festival and such a huge hike in rent was unaffordable.
The common forum of Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms decided to call off the pooram extravaganza. Instead, it would be held just as a ritual, they said. The impasse sparked a political battle, with the BJP and the Congress attempting to take advantage of the situation, leading to the CM’s intervention.
“The Thrissur Pooram is an iconic celebration of Kerala and a major attraction for visitors from across the country. It is the demand of the common people here to conduct the Pooram with all its pomp and colour, and there should be nothing that stops it,” said a statement issued by the chief minister’s office. With the crisis resolved, the devaswoms will initiate steps to invite tender and allocate stalls for merchants wishing to be a part of the exhibition.