Thrissur: The Kollam temple tragedy seems to have cast a shadow on the Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala. In light of the restrictions put in place by Kerala High Court, organisers of the Thrissur Pooram festival are likely to call off the religious celebrations as planned. The organisers have said that they will only go ahead with the ritual of taking the idol out for a procession if restrictions are put in place.
The organisers will take the final decision on whether to hold the festival or not by Thursday evening. Organisers have claimed that the Chief Minister's office has intervened and asked them to hold the festival. The Kerala CM has called an all party meet to discuss banning fireworks in temples.
The organisers will present their arguments in the Kerala High Court on Friday over holding the festival without the restrictions. Devaswom sources said they were planning to apprise the high court of an earlier Supreme Court verdict on conduct of Pooram festival.
They also said that they will request the High Court to allow for the Thrissur Pooram. The case will come up for hearing on Thursday at around 4 pm after which the organisers will take the final call.
The Kerala High Court had on Wednesday said that fireworks with sound will not be permitted between 6 PM to 6 AM. The Wildlife conservation authority had also raised concerns about using elephants during the procession. Keeping the restrictions in mind, the organisers asserted that it will not be possible for them to carry on with the festival.
The world-famous Thrissur Pooram festival is known for its colourful parade of caparison elephants and spectacular firework display. Changing of sequined parasols is also a major attractions of the Pooram festival that culminates on April 17.
Devotees and spectators from all parts of the state and even outside throng the Pooram introduced during the reign of Sakthan Thampuran (1775-1790), the Raja of Kochi.
With the Kollam temple tragedy bringing to focus safety issues, the Thrissur district administration had on Wednesday imposed regulations including use of low decibel crackers. The administration had decided to give sanction to two temple devaswoms (boards) to use a total of 4,000 kg low decibel fire crackers for the April 17 finale of Pooram festival.
Over 100 people were killed and over 380 were injured in a major fire that engulfed the 100-year-old Puttingal Devi Temple complex in Kollam district during the display of fireworks, for which no permission had been granted by authorities.
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