The legendary Thrissur Pooram was held in a significantly scaled-down manner following the tragic fireworks explosion at Mundathikode on Tuesday. While the absence of the iconic fireworks cast a somber shadow, thousands of enthusiasts still gathered at the Thekkinkadu Maidan to witness the core religious and musical rituals.
The Kudamattam-the ceremonial exchange of decorated umbrellas involving caparisoned elephants, which used to last for about an hour and a half, was reduced to 15 minutes. However, the competitive exchange of vibrant parasols, was received with great enthusiasm by the Pooram lovers on Sunday.
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Both the Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu devaswoms first raised their traditional colorful umbrellas. The colorful umbrella exchange took place before a sea of people at the Thekkinkadu maidan in Thrissur. Since the time was short, both the teams quickly exchanged the umbrellas they were raising. Instead of the typical 50 sets of umbrellas, only around 10 sets were displayed.
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The world-renowned Ilanjithara Melam, the traditional percussion ensemble and Madathil Varavu Panchavadyam conducted as scheduled, drawing massive crowds despite the scorching heat.
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