Thrissur Pooram ends with style and noise

Thrissur Pooram, the 30-hour extravaganza of tradition and culture, concluded here on Monday noon after the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady deities bid farewell to each other at the Sreemoolasthanam of Sri Vadakkunathan temple. A fascinating scene of the finale was the two elephants carrying the deities mutually wishing au revoir through an elegant gesture with their trunks. The night pooram on Sunday was followed by a pyrotechnic display by both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devaswoms. This year it was the term of Thiruvambady Devaswom to start the display. As usual, the fireworks commenced at 3.40 a.m. with a loud bang heralding the lighting of the cracker chains, the serial explosions merging into a continuous roar punctuated with the bursting of innumerable crackers and gaining momentum minute by minute. The cracker show ended in a dazzling climax of light and sound. The show by the Thiruvambady was followed by a similar one by the Paramekkavu Devaswom. The magic of crackers splashed gold and silver rains holding the spellbound million-strong crowd till the early hours of the morning. A couple of hours later, the formations comprising 15 elephants and drum orchestra each of the two temples realigned at the southern and northern peripheries of Thekkinkad Maidan for the Pakal Pooram. Proceeding towards Vadakkunathan Temple, the two formations reached the Sreemoolasthanam at around 12.30 noon. Thereafter the two deities on elephants met face-to-face, bid farewell, and left for their respective abodes after paying respects to Sri Vadakkunathan.