Venue:

Thekkinkadu (literally, Teak forest) ground, in the heart of Thrissur town, north Kerala.

Attractions:

Processions of majestically caparisoned elephants, changing of sequinned parasols and fireworks display.

Thrissur is best known for its mammoth Pooram festival held in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May). It is the most colourful and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. Devotees and spectators from all parts of the State and even outside throng the Pooram.

Introduced during the reign of Sakthan Thampuran (1775-1790), the Raja of Kochi, Pooram is an assemblage of suburban deities before the presiding deity at the Vadakkumnathan (Siva) temple in down town Thrissur. The Pooram celebration is held at the the Thekkinkadu grounds.

Traditionally, two groups representing the main geographic divisions of Thrissur, Paramekkavu Temple and Thiruvambadi Temple, rival to add to the Pooram's grandeur. Both teams field face to face arrays of richly caparisoned elephants. And then 'Kudamattam', a competition in the swift and rhythmic changing of brightly coloured and sequinned parasols is conducted.