Kerala's grand Thrissur Pooram features Messi at 'Kudamattam'
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Thrissur: Kerala's iconic Thrissur Pooram features Argentinan football legend Lionel Messi holding the World Cup during the 'Kundamattam' ceremony, PTI reported.
During the famed 'Kudamattam', which began shortly after six in the evening, the Thiruvambady side stole the show with a display of an impressive illuminated cutout of Messi with the FIFA World Cup.
Kudamattam is a change of colourful ornamental silk parasols in quick succession by people mounted atop the elephants.
Besides the different colours, patterns and layers on the umbrellas, there were illuminated cutouts of various deities, including Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathy, and Lord Krishna, among others.
The famed fest with its immense crowd was held in full grandeur at the famed Vadakkunnathan Temple here on Sunday with a parade of ornately caparisoned elephants and a high-octane traditional percussion performance which enthralled a sea of people.
The festival, usually called the mother of all temple festivals in Kerala, was witnessed by thousands of people cutting across religion and age barriers at Thekkinkadu Maidan here.
Thirty caparisoned elephants--15 each from the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady temples--stood face-to-face adhering to the centuries-old customs and traditions.
The display of 'nettipattams' (the golden caparisons), 'venchamaram' (ornamental fan made of peacock feathers), and 'muthukkuda' (decorative umbrellas) atop the jumbos was a feast to the crowd, which was enthralled by the traditional music ensembles, 'panchavadyam and pandimelam', by an array of percussionists.
The festival originated around 2 centuries ago, in 1798, through a royal edict of the then Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as Shakthan Thampuran, a powerful ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Cochin. The edict entrusted two local temples -- Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady -- as the main sponsors of the festivities to be conducted in a competitive spirit.
The Pooram is to end late on Sunday with a majestic display of fireworks.