Friday, February 10, 2012

Festival flag lowered down

Thaippooyam 2012 at Kochambalam Subrahmanya Temple. A great and colorful day to remember. I enjoyed all of the events well. From 11.00 am to 9.45 pm I was wandering all over the temple premises with Maria. The entire village was in festival mood. The Kavady and Pooram were spectacular sights. There were seven caparisoned elephants lined up in the Pakalppooram and the Thidampu had been carried by the legendary elephant Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran.

Maria watches the pooram

Legendary elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran
carries the Thidampu

Thechikodan's owner is Thechikottukavu Devaswam, Thrissur. He's 48 years old and  316 Cms (10' 4") height. He is also considered as the second tallest elephant in Asia. Ramachandran is the most valued elephant in the annual Kerala elephant procession. If you want to book him at Thechikottukavu Devaswam, you have to participate in the tender. And you will get him only if your quote is the highest in the tender. I heard that SSV sabha had arranged another elephant, if they did not get Ramachandran by any chance. But eventually he came in time.
Here is the complete list of elephants in lined up for Pooram:
  1. Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran
  2. Cherplassery Ananthapadmanabhan
  3. Thiruvaththaani Rajagopal
  4. Vayalassery Arjunan
  5. Nayarambalam Rajasekharan
  6. Plathottam Babu
  7. Pazhur Gopalan
.
Maria at a shop, buying bangles.

Mayilaattam at Kaavady procession

Spectators / fans(!) around
Thechikottukavu Ramachandran

View of Pooram

We reached the temple so early to watch the Aanayoottu. But it was not an exciting event as I expected. This is the first time I see that. Even Maria did not liked it well, instead she was ecstatic when the Kavady entered the temple. The costume sense of  some Shoolam-carriers were too ugly. They were wearing some T-Shirts on which some crap wordings on it. Most of them were wearing T-Shirt and Jeans + canvass shoes. How far would it be better if they were wearing a Kaavi/red mundu only!
Spending so much time watching different types of Kavadies, we slowly visited the backside of the temple where the elephants and mahouts were taking rest. There stands the tall figure of Thechikodan. He was standing elegantly calm and quiet. Maria was so happy and even refused to go home for lunch. Finally I promised her that we'll be back after having lunch before the Pooram starts.
Pooram started on 4.30 pm. But I took some more time to reach. When I reached, the panchavaadyam was getting to the end. After sometime Chenda melam started. Panhavadyam was lead by Vadyashree Annamanada Muraleedhara Marar and Chendamelam was performed under the leadership of Avittathur Shreeju.
I could not stand for long with carrying Maria in my shoulder. The pooram was amazingly beautiful. All were ended up with the amazing fireworks. Back home with a lost feeling that all finished and there is nothing remaining.
The festival flag lowered down on the next day dawn.

No comments:

Search