Thrissur Pooram, the festival considered as mother of all poorams in Kerala is cancelled in the wake of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.This has happened for the first time in the festival’s history. The festival is Kerala’s biggest temple festival and lakhs of people from across the world gather to witness the Pooram replete with processions, percussion ensembles and fireworks. The stars of the festival are the Elephants who are very carefully selected before the festival by each participating temple.
A ministerial-level meeting held in Thrissur on Wednesday, attended by representatives of all participating temples, collectively decided to cancel the Pooram in the wake of restrictions of COVID-19.
The state Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar said that the decision was because of the extension of the lockdown in connection with the pandemic till May 3. The Thrissur Pooram falls on May 2.
“It is impossible to conduct the Pooram celebrations by maintaining social distancing and other guidelines of the lockdown. Only the main rituals will be held in respective temples, with the presence of maximum five persons. Celebrations connected to the Pooram, including kodiyettam, will not be held,” said the Minster.
The annual Pooram exhibition, generally start from the beginning of April, was also cancelled.
