Thrissur Pooram declared open

Thrissur Pooram festivities kick off with grand opening ceremony, elephant processions, and cultural performances at Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple.

Thrissur Pooram was declared open on Thursday morning. Naithilakkavu Bhagavathy, atop elephant Ernakulam Sivakumar, opened the Thekke Gopura Nada to pave way for the deities of other participating temples to enter Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple.

Ignoring the scorching sun and election heat, Pooram lovers thronged the Thekke Gopura Nada to receive Naithilakkavilamma.

The deity, which reached the West Nada of Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple, was received by a percussion ensemble led by Kizhakkott Aniyan Marar. Elephant Sivakumar entered the temple through the West Nada and reached the Thekke Gopura Nada.

People cheered as Naithilakkavilamma came out through the Tekke Gopura Nada. Elephant Sivakumar raised its trunk thrice to greet the people.

Pooram festivities will unfurl in all its splendour at Thekkinkadu Maidan on Friday. Ceremonies, percussion ensembles, fireworks, and elephant parades will enthral Pooram lovers.

Thrissur Pooram is a symbolic meeting of deities of 10 temples. While Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu are the main participants of the 36-hour-long festival, other participating temples are Naithalakkavu, Ayyanthole, Karumukku, Lalur, Choorakkattukara, Chembukkavu, Kanimangalam and Panamukkumpally.

Meanwhile, the fitness test of elephants to be paraded in the various vents of Thrissur Pooram was conducted at Thekkinkadu Maidan on Thursday evening.