Kochi: The eight-day annual ’Vrischikolsavam’ festival at the Sreepoornathrayeesa temple in Tripunithura will begin on Monday, marking the start of temple festival season in Central Kerala. Chief Priest (Tantri) Puliyannor Sasi Namboodiripad will hoist the holy flag between 7 and 7.30 pm. The most auspicious "Thrikketta Purappasu" will be held on December one (Thursday) while ‘Valiya Vilakku’ will be on Sunday (December seven). The festival will conclude with holy ‘Aaraattu’ on December eight at the temple pond of Chakkamkulangara Siva Temple.
An exhibition of ‘Aanachamayam’ (paraphernalia to be used for tuskers) was held at the temple premises on Sunday evening. The festival is an occasion for percussion and traditional art form lovers across the state to watch the best in the field perform. Melam (percussion) will be performed on all festival days during morning and night. As many as 120 percussionists under the leadership of Peruvanam Kuttan Marar will perform melam. As usual, about 15 caparisoned elephants will be paraded in 'Ezhunnelippu' to be held during the festival days.
The festival is also marked by the resonance of other traditional percussions such as 'panchari melam', ‘adantha’ and ‘chembada’ melam. Like thousands of other natives of the royal town, the festival would witness the members of the royal family to return to their birth place to watch the splendour and elegance of Lord Poornathrayeesan. “The festival marks the start of the temple festival season in the Kochi region. The next to come is that of Ernakulathappan Temple and finally the season ends with the festival of Koodalmanikyam Temple at Irinjalakuda,” said V C Jayendran, a resident.
