The Pooram festivals are a very significant annual summer harvest celebrations, held in Kerala, dedicated to Goddess Durga or Goddess Kali. Among these summer harvest festivals, Thrissur Pooram is thought to be the biggest and most significant. It takes place at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram (moon rise day in the month of Medam). In the wake of the terrible tragedy at the Kollam temple celebrations that claimed 110 lives, the question on everyone’s minds now is whether and how the Thrissur Pooram celebrations on 17th and 18th of April will be impacted.
Firework displays are central to Thrissur Pooram celebrations
While fireworks are a part of most celebratory observances in Kerala, they are especially central to the celebration of Thrissur Pooram. There are four rounds of fireworks displays and the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu temples, actually compete with each other to see who one can put up the more spectacular and unexpected cracker show.
There is one display the day before Pooram, one on Pooram evening when the displays from either side light up the sky, then one more display during the early morning hours which is a highlight of the celebrations, and then the final show that is put up at noon to mark the end of the Pooram celebrations and to acknowledge the goddesses bidding farewell to each other.
Problems the organisers now face
The tragedy that killed more than one hundred and injured hundreds more has brought into sharp attention the flouting of norms that these temple fireworks displays typically involve. There is a Supreme Court ruling that restricts the bursting of crackers between 10 PM and 6 AM; clearly this ruling is ignored with impunity. The fact that the Explosives Rules of 2008 requires there to be at least 100 mts. distance between the display area and the audience is also disregarded – during Thrissur Pooram celebrations, it is seen that audiences assemble at the Swaraj Ground to watch fireworks in the Thekkinkadu Maidan with a scant 25 mts between them and the fireworks.
The Thrissur-based Heritage Animal Task Force has asked the authorities to ban fireworks displays saying that some 451 people have lost their lives in the last three years in the state because of these displays.
Will there be crackers this year at Thrissur Pooram?
Yes there will be but the Thrissur district administration has given permission based on certain conditions being met: a total of 4000 kg of fireworks will be used. They will be low decibel crackers. There will be sufficient distance maintained between the display and spectator areas. A special squad will be present at the venue to ensure safety and to prevent flouting of norms and extra police forces will be deployed at the venues.
Author – Reena Daruwalla
