Kochi: The eight-day-long Vrisch-ikolsavam, the annual festival of Tripunithura Poornathrayeesa temple, which is known for its grandeur of festivities and cultural programmes, will begin on Wednesday.
The festival will begin with the kodiyettu, the temple priest hoisting flag in the presence of devotees. The kodiyettu will be held on Wednesday evening at 6.30 pm. Special pujas and abhishekam will be performed prior to the flag hoisting ritual.
The cultural meeting to be organised after the kodiyettu will be inaugurated by Justice Devan Ramachandran. Prof. M. Balasubramanyam, Director south zone cultural centre, Ministry of Culture will inaugurate the cultural programmes to be organised during the festival days.
N.P. Ramaswami and Peruvanam Gopalakrishna Pisharody will be honoured during the cultural meeting.
The eight-day cultural extravaganza includes Kolkali, Thayambaka, music concerts and Kathakali.
Vrischikolsavam is an occasion for percussion lovers to enjoy the performance of noted percussionists.
Melam (percussion) will be performed on all festival days in the morning and evening.
As usual, there will be parades with caparisoned tuskers and more than 100 percussion artists from across the state performing different types of melams.
Renowned percussionist like Peruvanam Kuttan Marar and Kalanilayam Ratheesh will perform.
Thrikketta purappadu, cheriya vilakku and valiya vilakku, most important rituals of the festival will be on December 8, 10 and 11 respectively.
Unlike last year, when an advocate commission was appointed by the High Court to supervise the organisation of the festival, the programmes will be conducted and monitored by the temple advisory committee itself.
The festival will end on December 12 with the lowering of festival flag at 7 pm followed by colourful programmes like violin and saxophone concerts.
