Thrissur Pooram

The Thrissur Pooram, often referred to as the "Mother of all Poorams," is one of the most celebrated temple festivals in Kerala. Known for its grandeur, tradition, and vibrant cultural events, Thrissur Pooram is a visual and spiritual delight. The 229th Thrissur Pooram will be held on May 6, 2025, with its official flag hoisting (Kodiyettam) starting on April 30, 2025. This iconic festival attracts thousands of devotees, tourists, and culture enthusiasts from across the world to the city of Thrissur.

What is Thrissur Pooram?

Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu festival celebrated at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur, Kerala. It is a spectacular display of Kerala’s cultural heritage, featuring grand elephant processions, traditional percussion performances, and an awe-inspiring fireworks display. Originating in the late 18th century under the reign of Sakthan Thampuran, the Raja of Kochi, the festival serves as a platform to unite temples and communities across Kerala.

The highlight of the festival is the rivalry between two temple groups—Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple and Thiruvambady Bhagavathy Temple—which compete in various events to showcase their grandeur.

Thrissur Pooram 2025 Dates and Events

April 30, 2025: Kodiyettam (Flag Hoisting)
The festival officially begins with Kodiyettam, the ceremonial flag hoisting, marking the start of the Pooram celebrations.

May 6, 2025: 229th Thrissur Pooram
The main day of the festival, featuring grand processions, cultural performances, and the famous Kudamattam and fireworks.

Thrissur Pooram 2025 Schedule - Exhibition, Kudamattom & Vedikettu

Some events, mainly three, constitute the completion of the festival of Thrissur Pooram.

Flag Hoisting (Kodiyettam)

The festival kicks off with the ceremonial hoisting of flags at the participating temples, including Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Temples, signifying the start of the Pooram festivities.

Kudamattom

Elephants - lots of them, and highly adorned ones - mark the event of the Kudamattom ceremony, which is a central part of the week-long festivity. The term 'Kudamattom' comes from two root words, 'Kuda' meaning Umbrella and 'Mattom' meaning Change. Thus the ceremony displays a competition of changing colorful canopied umbrellas from above the adorned elephants between two teams, namely, Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu.

Ilanjithara Melam

Another event, known as the Ilanjithara Melam, occurs near the Ilanji tree in the Vadakkunnathan temple's courtyard. It includes the beating of traditional percussions in which many devotees perform, making it a major festival attraction with their captivating rhythm. 

Madathil Vararu

The event of Madathil Vararu marks the deities, Thiruvambadi Devi and Lord Krishna, taken out in a procession from their temple to the Vadakkunnathan temple, accompanied by an ocean of followers, with traditional instruments played all along.

Fireworks Display

The grand fireworks display is one of the festival's main attractions. Held in the early hours of May 7, 2025, this mesmerizing spectacle lights up the Thrissur skyline, leaving spectators in awe.

Rituals at Vadakkunnathan Temple

While the festival primarily involves the participating temples, the Vadakkunnathan Temple remains a silent spectator. Devotees visit the temple to seek blessings and experience the spiritual essence of the festival.

How to Reach Vadakunnathan Swamy Temple

• By Air: The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, located about 50 km from Thrissur. From the airport, you can take a taxi or bus to reach the city.
• By Train: Thrissur is a major railway hub with excellent connectivity to cities across India. The Thrissur Railway Station is centrally located and close to the festival venues.
• By Road: Thrissur is well-connected by road to major cities in Kerala and neighboring states. Regular buses, taxis, and private vehicles are available.

Thrissur Pooram History

Thrissur Pooram has a history of almost two hundred years, returning to the reign of Raja Rama Varma, aka Sakthan Thampuran. The festival carries and continues on the legacy of the erstwhile Arattupuzha Pooram festival, which was just a day-long event. Raja Rama Varma started the celebration of Thrissur Pooram with the united agreement of ten temples located around the Vadakkunnathan temple.

Since then, all these temples have visited the Vadakkunnathan with their deities to pay respect to this manifestation of Lord Siva, not to mention the large number of visitors from the state and across the country that it attracts. Though official statistics are not available, arguably a torrent of five hundred thousand people gathers for the celebration.

Thrissur Pooram Video

The fact that the city of Thrissur is reputed as the cultural capital of Kerala and the grandeur of the celebration of Thrissur Pooram festival naturally appeal to people who come to know about them; a desire to witness the enormity of the solemnization and a feeling of longing is naturally felt.