Thrissur: The 36-hour Thrissur Pooram spectacle ended on Monday noon with the Upacharam Cholli Piriyal (bidding farewell) by the elephants carrying the Thidambu (replica of the idol) of Bhagavathies of both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi in front of the western entrance tower of Vadakkumnathan Temple.
After this final ritual, the deities were taken to their respective temples. In the morning, the processions carrying the idols of the deities were taken to the Vadakkumnathan temple as part of the ‘Pakal pooram’ which is also called ‘Thattakathe Pooram’.
Both the major participants of Pooram – Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu – lined up 15 elephants each on both sides of the western entrance tower of Vadakkumnathan temple with the accompaniment of ‘pandi melam’.
By 12 pm, the melam ended, and the leading elephants from both sides took a position on either side of the huge nilavilakku (multi-tiered brass lamps in front of the tower) and raised their trunk simultaneously bidding farewell to each other and officially announcing the end of one-and-a-half day long pooram carnival.
In the wake of Kollam firework tragedy, elaborate security measures were put in place by the district administration for this year’s pooram, and it went off without any untoward incidents.
