Thrissur: The simplicity of the parasols erected by avoiding heavy ‘kolams’ atop elephants during the Kudamattam event at Thrissur Pooram by Paramekkavu Devaswom came as novel experience for pooram buffs on Wednesday.
The Kudamattam event between Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady by lining up 15 elephants facing each other at the Southern Gopuram of Vadakkumnathan Temple was the most colourful event of Thrissur Pooram.
Both the devaswoms displayed nearly 50 parasols at the Kudamattam.
As decided earlier, Paramekkavu did not raise any of the heavy Kolam (special) Parasols considering the convenience of the elephants atop which they were erected. Instead, they came up with parasol varieties like double- decked, flat and luminous LED umbrellas along with a special umbrella with miniature heads of elephants attached to it. The rotating LED parasols made of temple flags was the most innovative items of the show.
The stopper for the Thiruvambadi show was the kolam (special umberalla) of the deceased elephant Shiva Sundar of the temple devaswom which was a heart-wrenching experience for several hundreds of his fans attending the event.
The elephant had died of compaction after undergoing treatment for several weeks a few months ago.
Special guest CM enjoys Pooram
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attended major events of Thrissur Pooram on Wednesday and waded into controversy because of the timing of his felicitation of melam maestro Padmashree Peruvanam Kuttan Marar with a ‘ponnada’.
The CM, who was in Thrissur reached Vadakkumnathan Temple during the famous Elanjithara Melam for the felicitation of Kuttan Marar, who has been taking part in the Elanjithara Melam, the major percussion event of Thrissur Pooram for the past 48 years. It was the 20th time he was leading the Melam for Thrissur Pooram.
However, the felicitation of Peruvanam while he was performing the Elanjithara Melam has not gone down well with some of the devotees and pooram buffs.
BJP leader B Goplakrishnan, who was at the venue of the melam, said that it was unfair on the part of the CM to come inside the performing melam ensemble for felicitation.
“The CM was at the pooram venue before and after the melam and he chose the time of performing melam for the felicitation to come into media limelight. The melam is also a custom associated with pooram and CM coming inside it with several others disturbed its tempo,” Gopalakrishnan said.
The CM accompanied by his private secretary M V Jayarajan watched the Kudamattam from the gallery. Minister V S Sunil Kumar and central committee member of CPM K Radhakrishnan were also with the CM. It is after a long interval a CM was taking part in Pooram.
