The ceremonial flag hoisting marked the beginning of Thrissur Pooram festivities here on Saturday. The pooram will be celebrated on April 19.
Flag hoisting ceremonies were conducted under the Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devaswoms and the eight main participating temples in the pooram.
The ‘kodiyettam’ (flag hoisting ceremony) was held at 11 a.m. at Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple. The festival flag was hoisted after the ‘bhoomi pooja’. Ceremonies were also held at Naikanal and Naduvilal. Percussion ensembles accompanied the event.
Besides, ‘kodiyettam’ was held at Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple, where traditional musicians accompanied the procession of the ‘bhagavathy’ (deity).
The eight other participating temples where flag hoisting ceremonies were held are at Ayyanthole, Chembukkavu, Lalur, Naithalakkavu, Choorakkottukavu, Panamukkumpilly, Kanimangalam and Karamukku temples.
The city will soak in the carnival spirit in the coming days. The festivities will conclude on April 20 with the Upacharam Cholli Piriyal ceremony.
Sample fireworks display will be held on April 17. ‘Pooram Vilambaram’ will be held by opening the Thekke Gopura Nada on April 18. The exhibition of elephant accoutrements will be held from April 18.
Confusions over the conduct of Pooram regarding restrictions on parading elephant didn’t affect the spirit of the event.
Minister intervenes
The confusion over elephants displays at Thrissur Pooram have been solved with the interventions of Devaswom Minister K. Radhakrishnan and Revenue Minister K. Rajan, Cochin Devaswom Board president M.K. Sudarshan said in a statement.
The participants of the Thrissur Pooram and Temple advisory committees have expressed their concerns over the guidelines given by the Forest department in connection with elephant parading. The elephant owners had came up with protests about some of the conditions in case of elephants turning unruly. They threatened that they will not send the elephants for the pooram. The Ministers intervened in the issues against this background. The confusion has been solved, he said in the statement.
“There is no need for confusion about the circular given by the Forest department. The ministers have given their support to conduct the pooram like the previous editions,” said the Cochin Devaswom president in the statement.
