Pooram

Pooram
Official name	Pooram (Malayalam)
Observed by	Malayalis esp. Hindus
Type	Temple Festival
Observances	Melam, Elephant Show, Kuthira Vela, Kala Vela, Folk Arts, Shadow Puppetry
Date	Summer

Pooram pronounced [puːɾam] is an annual festival, which is celebrated in temples dedicated to goddesses Durga or Kali held especially in Valluvanadu area and other adjoining parts of north-central Kerala (Present Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts) after the summer harvest. Harimattom pooram is the one of the famous pooram in Ernakulam. The most famous pooram in whole world is Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram which has an active participation of 11 Lack people across the country. Most pooram festivals have at least one ornately decorated elephant being paraded in the procession taken out of the temple precincts. However, there are some well known poorams, such as Aryankavu Pooram at shoranur Palakkad and Machad mamangam near Wadakkanchery that do not use the caparisoned elephant, instead go for stilted mannequins of horses or bullocks. Vela is also a festival like pooram. Chinakathoor pooram is famous for the vedikkettu held in this festival. Thrissur Pooram is the most famous of all poorams and Chinakathoor pooram tops the list of velas. The second best known Pooram in Kerala is Uthralikavu Pooram. Some other well-known pooram festivals are Arattupuzha-Peruvanam Pooram, Nenmara Vallangi Vela, Chinakathoor pooram, Mannarkkad Pooram, Harimattom Pooram and Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram.

A melam is a classical performance of different kind of musical instruments that are unique to Kerala and is something akin to the jazz. The most traditional of all melams is called Pandi Melam which is generally performed outside the temple, during the festival. Another kind of melam is called Panchari Melam, which is similar to Pandi Melam going by the kind of instruments, but played inside the temple and following a different rhythmic beat.

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Wikipedia