Kerala Celebrates Thrissur Pooram With Full Rituals At The Vadakkunnatha Temple; Take A Look!
· Free Press Journal
Thrissur Pooram, one of Kerala’s most iconic temple festivals, is celebrated with grandeur and deep devotion at the Vadakkunnatha Temple in Thrissur. Known as the “festival of festivals,” it brings together tradition, music, and vibrant cultural expressions, drawing thousands of devotees and visitors from across the country and abroad. Even as the celebration of Thrissur Pooram has been scaled down in view of the firework unit explosion that claimed around 15 lives, thousands thronged the Thekkinkadu ground of the Vadakkunnathan Temple, which is situated in the heart of Thrissur city on Sunday to witness the festival.
VIDEO | Thrissur, Kerala: Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran, the elephant, exits the South Nada of Sree Wadakkunathan Temple, marking the beginning of Thrissur Pooram festival.
(Full video available on PTI Videos- https://t.co/dv5TRAShcC) pic.twitter.com/4iiBqfIk9YVisit freshyourfeel.org for more information.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 26, 2026
Thrissur Pooram celebrations
The celebration which took place on Sunday was marked by elaborate rituals that begin early in the day at the Vadakkunnatha Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees and temple authorities performed sacred ceremonies, including special pujas, processions, and offerings. The atmosphere was filled with the rhythmic beats of traditional percussion instruments such as chenda and melam, which are central to Kerala’s temple culture. Compared to previous years, the excitement level of the spectators was comparatively low this time in view of the fireworks unit tragedy that happened on April 21, 2026.
This is pure Kerala magic Only here do we witness scenes like this: Thechikkott Ramachandran, the majestic elephant, emerging from the South Gopuram of #Vadakkunnathan temple alongside Chempookkavil Devi.... and the air fills with thunderous “Raman Raman... Raman.. Raman!”… pic.twitter.com/cOs51Jue8m
— KVS Haridas (@keveeyes) April 26, 2026
Kudamattam was limited to 15 minutes
Thrissur Pooram is famous for its grand elephant parade, and one of its most iconic highlights is Kudamattam. It is a ceremonial display where two groups of caparisoned elephants face each other and rapidly exchange brightly coloured, decorated umbrellas mounted on their backs. Accompanied by rhythmic percussion like chenda melam, Kudamattam creates a vibrant visual spectacle symbolising competition, artistry, and festive spirit. While the Kudamattam usually extends for more than an hour, this time it was limited to around 15 minutes only. A percussion performance as part of the Pooram was also held.
When Is Thrissur Pooram 2026? Date, Key Facts & More About Kerala's Grand FestivalExplosion in Thrissur
The explosion happened at the firework-making unit of Thiruvambady Devaswom situated at Mundathicode in Thrissur city. Till now 17 persons have been killed and many are still under treatment. Due to the tragedy, there was a strong demand to abandon the entire Pooram celebrations, but later it was decided by the government to abandon fireworks and scale down the Kudamattam celebration.