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Trissur Pooram is the festival of the great vadakkumnathan temple crowning the hill around which the town has grown. Only on trissur Pooram day are non-Hindus allowed to enter the temple, built in the ancient style of Kerala- sanded courts, wooden louvers stone sculptures, a traditional auditourium and multi-level roofs, in many ways like a Japanese shrine.
In the evening, two lines of 13 elephants face each other on the slope below the temple. Each pachydern bears an umbrella-holder, a peacock-fan carrier and a yak-tail fly whisk wielder. Between the two lines of beast stand percussion and wind orchestras. All around are massed teeming crowds of spectators. As each orchestra reaches a crescendo, a new display of brilliant ceremonial umbrellas blossoms over the elphants and the supportings and the supporting crowd applauds. This goes on till elephants and the supporting crowd applauds. This goes on till sunset when the elephants depart and, late at night, the darkness elplodes with a magnificent fireworks display. |
