The forbidden dreams

Chinakkathoor Pooram 2011 February 17, 2011

Unlike past 4 years, I am free to roam around and celebrate pooram to the core this year.Chinakkathoor Pooram 2011 will be celebrated on friday 18th of February. I left my last employer back in December as I was planning to undergo some networking training. Though I completed training well, I couldnt find a company to start with. So i decided to continue the networking classes. I am very happy that, atleast this year i dont have to beg my boss for a two or three day leave stating some false reason. Last year pooram went extremely well that all my friends were there to accompany me. But this year, it is gonna be different or literally boring. I will have only few of them with me to enjoy as majority in my friend circle are outside the city for their bread and butter. One of them has dropped in today. Planning to have a blast with the limited resources as I am not sure if I will be here next year to enjoy.

I ve been saying about pooram and my non malayali readers or non Palakkadan readers will be wondering what pooram is. Pooram is a regional festival of Kerala. Pooram is mainly celebrated in the northern part of Kerala, mainly at the district of Thrissur and Palakkad. And Thrissur Pooram is the most famous pooram. Different pooram has different custom of Celebration Chinakkathoor Pooram is celebrated in Ottapalam or Valluvanad which is a sub distrcit of Palakkad. Chinakkathoor Kaavu(the temple) is located at Palappuram which is 5 kms away from Ottapalam and 29 Kms away fromPalakkad Town by road.

Pooram commences with Koothu and Pooram molayidal function happens ten days prior to the actual pooram. From the time Pooram molayidal happens, People start yelling for help (ayyayyo ayyayyo അയ്യയ്യോ അയ്യയ്യോ) which is there in the myths of Chinakkathoor Pooram. Though I asked my mom what this myth is all about, she also dont know the real story leading to this ayyayyo ayyayyo അയ്യയ്യോ അയ്യയ്യോ. I will do a separate post about this later once i get the clear picture from someone who knows about it.

Chinakkathoor Pooram is a very colorful festival.After the Pooram molayidal Poothan and Thira will visit each and every hindu houses of Valluvanad. I ve heard that Poothan Thira has also got som’e myth behind them. I did a googling for that got a wikipedia post. This is what it says “A typical Poothan Thira performance comprising mostly shouts and wild gestures. The duo is immensely popular amongst the natives and an essential part of the village festivals of the region. Poothan player usually wear in bright (usually red), tightly woven costumes embellished with gold-coloured trinkets. Their larger than life headdresses with peacock features and imposing masks with stick out tongues and eyes are sure to leave an unbelievable imagination to the viewer. Thira player wears semicircular black crown mounted on his head with symbols of the goddess embossed on the same. We can see may Thira players with extra ordinary acrobatic skills who make the performance a real treat to watch.” Nayadis a particular tribe of people also visit the homes singing their tribal songs. But I have heard them singing only one song and the lyrics goes like this “Naayaadi Naayaadi Chankara Naayaadi” accompanied by the special effects created by hitting two bamboo sticks.

The next custom is Parayeduppu. Velichapaadu who is believed to be the revealer of light, is a mediator between the deity and the devotees. ‘Velichappadu’ literally means ‘the one who throws light on any problems.’ Possessed by the deity, Velichappadu (oracle) dances in frenzy at the festivals in Bhagavati temples. Velichappadu visits each and every house to accept para( which is a vessel used to measure cereals) filled with paddy, Neyyappam, Plantain etc.

The next ceremony that comes next is Kuthirakku Thalavekkal. Many huge stuffed horse models are built using bamboo sticks(framework), Plantain leaves(stuffing). Each horse depicts a soldier of army. Once they are done with the body building fixing the head of Kuthirakku Thala Vekkal happens. Valluvanad is divided in to different Desams or villages and all of them have their own troups of this horse armies. On the pooram day people carry this horses to Chinakkathoor Temple and performs the Kuthirakali. This horses compete with each other the pooram ground. The one who throws or lifts the horse the highest is believed to be the best player. Pooram starts with the horse rally which always starts in between 1 PM and 2PM. The Horse rally or Kuthira pooram is followed by the Aanapooram or Tusker Rally. After the kuthirapooram and Aana pooram fireworks happens at the temple ground. Though majority of people leave after the fire works all of them come back to the ground by early morning for the pakalpooram.

I know i havent given the right justice to this post. Though I want to write more about this, I am really exhausted today. By the time i sleep you can go through the snaps of previous pooram on the link below

Check out more photos at :

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/rijesh.ramdas/ChinakkathoorPooram2007?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/rijesh.ramdas/Pooram2008?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/rijesh.ramdas/Pooram2009?feat=directlink

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trcnair/