THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thrissur Pooram held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple annually witnesses the largest fireworks display in Kerala. Uthralikavu Pooram held at Shri Rudhiramaha-kalikav Temple at Wadakkanchery, also in Thrissur, and Nenmara Vallangi Vela in Palakkad district holds the second and third largest fireworks festivals followed by the tragedy-hit Puttingal Temple in Paravoor.
District authorities as well as police and the temple board vouch for their security as licenses for fireworks and safety measures are foolproof. But Nenmara Vallangi Vela is expected to tone down the scale of fireworks from next year.
On Monday the Thrissur district administration and Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi Devaswoms decided to reduce the firepower and noise at the Thrissur Pooram held on April 28.
At the recently concluded annual Uthralikkavu Pooram competitive fireworks were held. Cochin Devaswom Board president M. P. Bhaskaran Nair confirmed that competitive fireworks have been taking place over the years, but when it comes to issuing licenses for fireworks and ensuring safety measures for the scores of pilgrims visiting there, adequate measures are being taken.
“There is definitely competition in putting up their best display in Uthralikkavu which was held early last month. The festival is organised every year by respective members of various deshams,” he told DC. Even at Nenmara Vallangi Vela, the two ‘deshams’ – Nenmara and Vallangi - holds fireworks competition every year during early April at the Nellikulangara Bhagavathy temple the presiding deity of which is Goddess Bhagavathy. This temple which comes under the Malabar Devaswom Board has triggered a rethinking on holding fireworks.
“Following Puttingal tragedy, we will be deciding at the next board meeting on April 29 whether we should hold fireworks of massive scale or not. So far, it has been a competitive fireworks display at Nenmara Vallangi Vela temple festival,” said Sajeev Maroli, president of MDB.
Palakkad district collector Mary Kutty also echoed the same sentiments as that of the MDB president. “We are seriously contemplating not to have the fireworks display at the Nenmara Vallangi Vela temple festival from next year onwards,” said Ms Kutty.
Palakkad SP Debesh Kumar Behera told DC that it’s a tradition followed for several centuries between two ‘deshams’ and various festival committee meetings which have district administration and police as members are held annually to ensure that licenses for fireworks display are issued as per the prevalent laws.
