Thrissur Pooram is one of the biggest spectacular festivals in God's own country Kerala. For the people of Thrissur, Pooram is the most important event and holds a place of pride in their hearts.

So much has been spoken and written on Pooram that those who had witness to this colorful event say it is an experience of a life time; hence, my visit to Kerala during the time when the Pooram was to be held on April 16 provided me a godsend opportunity to realize my dream of witnessing Thrissur Pooram.

Pooram means meeting; hence, it is believed to be the coming together of gods and goddesses to celebrate the occasion. The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May) each year. There are many myths and legends behind the origination of Thrissur Pooram. It was introduced by the Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Kochi state (part of Kerala) during 1775-1790.

The highlight of the festival is the procession of caparisoned elephants with men standing on the animal's backs displaying colorful parasols. Accompanying the procession are several groups of drum (chandas) beaters and the blowing of long-winded trumpets played by the Pandi melam.

The procession is led by two rivals groups, one from the Thiruvambadi belonging to Lord Krishna temple and the Paremekkavu of the Devi group. They compete with each other in leading a procession of a maximum of the best 15 caparisoned elephants accompanied by artistic displaying of colorful parasols.

The selection of elephants and parasols is kept a secret to excel over the rival group. After the wonderful display of caparisoned elephants and parasols throughout the day, the climax of the event ends in both the Thiruvambadi and Paremekkavu group facing each other at the Thekkinkadu grounds for the final display of colorful parasols. Each group vies with each other in showing off their best parasols. Separating the two groups is an ocean of people braving the heat and the deafening noise to witness the event.

Amid the background of beating of drums the event begins with the Thiruvambadi group displaying their parasols by artists seated atop the elephants and later to be followed by their rivals the Paremekkavu group displaying their sets of parasols. Whenever the changeover of the parasols takes place by each group one after another, there is a deafening roar from the crowd.

I was fortunate to have with me a local friend, Balachandran, with whose help I was able to have closer access to all the events and gain a vantage point to shoot images. Without him I think I would have been crushed between the jostling of the most animated crowds.

Besides witnessing colorful parasols, the other important event is the drummer group belonging to the Pandi melam. Thousands of animated crowds converge around the drummers, enthusiastically waving their hands in the air in appreciation of the beat.

Later in the night until the wee hours of morning there is a wonderful display of fireworks. At the end of the event, one is left spell bound with the spectacle of such a magnitude. Witnessing Thrissur Pooram for me will go down in memory as one of the greatest events I have seen.

                                                                                                                         -  Rajen Nair