Pooram festival gets under way in Thrissur

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Kerala's most spectacular elephant and fireworks festival, Thrissur Pooram, began here this morning with colourful pageants from temples in and around the city wending their way to the famed Vadakkumnathan Temple where festivities will culminate in the wee hours tomorrow.

The city is overflowing with thousands of Pooram fans, as processions began from different directions led by caparisoned elephants.

The processions would converge at the sprawling Thekkinkadu 'maidan' before noon where the famous 'Elanjithara melam' would be held in which scores of artists playing drums, pipes and cymbals would line up to play for hours on end.

The pooram will culminate with its most spectacular show - the fireworks display - in the wee hours tomorrow.

Though restrictions have been put on the scale of fireworks, elephant parade and decibel levels in recent years, they had failed to dampen the festive mood of the local people and visitors.

The Thrissur pooram, known as mother of all temple fesitvals, was introduced over a century back by the rulers of erstwhile Kochi princely state.

Since then, the festival is celebrated every year by people in the locality setting aside even religious divides.

Of late, Pooram has also found its way to the international tourism calendar.