Thrissur is famous for elephants and poorams. Thechikottukavu is one such temple where we can see a lot of rituals and celebrations. This temple is the heart of Peramanagalam village, 10 kms away from main town and it’s just 1km inside the NH connecting Thrissur main town and Guruvayoor temple, which is just 18 kms away. Most famous among them are Aanapooram (elephant pooram) and Velapooram (Pooram of Kavadis) conducted in consecutive days. Thechikottkavu Ramachandran is known to be the tallest of all Asian elephants alive now. An annual offering of devotees known as Paravaikkal ceremony is also very famous. Through this article, I am giving a brief description of annual celebrations of this Devi temple.

Aana pooram – When elephants celebrate the festival

What’s a pooram without elephants? Elephants are decorated by golden coloured ornament, nettichutti and it’s given venchamaram and aalavattom. Among all elephants, only one is lucky enough to carry, Bhagavathy’s thidamb – her idol, used while annual celebrations. They are accompanied by Panchavadyam – a music by five instruments, ilathalam, thimila, maddhalam, idakka and kombu. It’s associated with a brilliant chendamelam group too. For more than 30 years, Thechikottkavu Ramachandran is that lucky elephant as he is famous for its elephant features (lekshan) known as ‘aana chandam’.

At first, they will stand in a row with panchavadyam in the temple ground. They carry colourful umbrellas too. Then, they go inside the temple and revolve her three times known as ‘pradikshinam’ and this ceremony is completed. A grand firework is also displayed in the evening. It’s known as ‘vedikettu’ in Malayalam.

Paravaikkal is very famous

One of the most famous rituals is Paravaikkal. ‘Para’ is a measuring container used to measure rice and other grains during early days and since such traditions have been followed from ancient centuries, such customs have not changed till now. Goddess of the temple loves offerings by her devotees a lot. So, during every year she is offered with a lot of things by people and it’s placed in ‘para’. ‘Vaikal’ means placing and hence the term, ‘paravaikkal’. People can offer anything of their likes, fruits, flowers, vegetables, rice, aval-pori (a fried version of rice usually used in pooja of Kerala), coins etc. Fruits may be apple, orange, banana, mango or any type according to devotee’s wish. Some people may place interesting para like 50 paise coins, 1 rupee coins, 5 rupee coins, leaves, bangles, gold, silver etc. Among flower paras, jasmine, lotus, rose, tulsi leaves, nerium, marigold, chrysanthemum etc are most popular. If you go to this temple in the early mornings during this season, you can see big lines of para placed by devotes. Some may be doing for their pleasure, while some others for fulfilling some ambitions. Some may place para, as a part of their wish, what we call, ‘nercha’. But most important is that number of paras placed should be an odd number.

Paravaikkal at homes

During the festival season, devotees do this ritual at homes also. In southern Kerala, it’s called ‘Irakkupooja’ while in middle Kerala, it’s Paravaikkal and both these rituals are conducted by Kavu – a special type of Devi temples, also known as Mudipura in southern parts.

Paravaikal is similar to Irakkipooja of south Kerala

I still remember Irakkupooja conducted in my courtyard during early childhood. A special mandap is made of banana stems and wonderfully decorated with flowers, leaves, tender coconut leaves, coconut buds etc. A devotee, who takes ‘Vritha’ for 41 days, carries idol of the temple on his shoulder. Goddess blesses him with some extra powers and while he is traveling from homes to homes carrying her on his shoulders, he forgets even himself. It’s believed that it’s Goddess itself who enters his soul. He, known as Velichappaad wears a red dhoti, symbol of Goddess and red thilak. He dances in the whole mandap, performing rituals and he will be accompanied by Kerala traditional instrument, Chendamelam by a group of people. As time pass by, music is played faster and his movements become more vigour and it’s known as ‘Velichapaad thullal’. He destroys everything with the knife. He cuts the banana stems and wonderful decorations and while he is dancing, he takes different types of leaves and flowers placed in palm leaf containers and disperse all around. When he completes, he bless the people and move forward taking the offerings. Now years have passed since I have seen an irakkipooja. But still now, those memories are fresh. The idols of deities have only heads and no body. Also, they own long hair. That’s why such temples are known as mudipura. ‘Mudi’ means hair and ‘Pura’ means home or place where it’s placed.

This year I placed my first para at home

According to beliefs, first para is to be placed inside home and from second onwards, at courtyard. Since it’s our first experience, we decided to place it inside our home. We wanted to make it simple. So, we decided in mind – three paras. From next year onwards we can increase its number. We placed one para with orange fruits, the second one with malar (a form of fried rice, also known as pori) and the third one, rice. Then, we lit our deepam, a few agarbatis, a coconut and a few nerium flowers for pooja. If we want to offer one rice para, no need to buy. People in the group itself bring a sack of rice for which we just need to pay money. Later, they will take it back to temple after the ceremony. Then I draw some beautiful ‘kolams’ using rice powder. As it’s believed that Goddess is coming inside home, I put my camera in the off mode as soon the group entered my hall. Also, my mind was fully dedicted to worship of Goddess.

But I don’t know why, when the main Velichapad entered the home with sword accompanied by a group of around 25 people my mind began to shiver. I couldn’t even put my feet in the ground and my mind and hands were shaking. I rechecked if I placed everything correct. Every preparations were absolutely ok. Yet my mind was trembling like a dry leaf in some unknown sorrow. I even lost my ability to think. I doubted if I have done something unpleasant to Goddess and I became upset. My heart was beating so fast and it was out of my control.
Velichapad completed his pooja along with Chendamelam and when he was to bless my family, I searched for ‘Dakshina’ which is to be given as offerings. You may be surprised to know that I searched whole home for the money which I kept closed inside my hand. That shows how my mind was acting foolish for those few moments. It was something really strange. When he blessed me, what he said, I couldn’t hear. I was becoming more nervous. Then he took the coconut and went out. He broke it into pieces in a stone placed outside and went to next home. As soon as he left, his followers took almost all fruits to eat and it was really a funny scene. Yet, no one took ‘malar’ placed in another para. Usually tribal people known as ‘kaanikaar’ brings rice for the pooja and as soon as the ritual is completed, they take it back and move towards the next home.

Another attraction of this ritual is tribal song sung by Kanikkar. They wore a red cloth over their white dhoti and bring some tribal musical instruments. At first they place an idol of bhagavathi in the courtyard and sing praising her, in their tribal language. Usually, they come just one or two days before paravaikkal ceremony. This time, they accompanied the temple group. People pleased with their song used to give them a small offering.

After the ceremony was over, when I was sitting fully upset, my neighbour asked me not to worry. She comforted me saying that it’s usual and since Bhagavathi is entering inside our home, we are feeling its tension as we are just normal people before the goddess and her shakthi. It’s just a common thing, she also feel the same way every year and that I need not worry for that. She also asked me to be happy as Devi, in the form of velichapad blessed me saying, “I am very much pleased with your preparations”. Hearing this, tears poured out of my eyes – my devotion, happiness and satisfaction. After that, many happy events have occurred in the past 8 or 9 months and everyone believe it's Devi's blessings.

Velapooram is most colourful

It’s most enjoyable and colourful one where different plots are displayed one after the other. It’s the last day of celebrations and plots belonging to different parts of the village and Thrissur town are participating in it. Usually it starts in the afternoon and plots one after the other come to the temple accompanied by chendamelam. Only males participate in velapooram. Yet, they do good make-up as both male and female characters of Hindu mythology and display their art forms to entertain everyone. They, coming through different routes, gather at temple ground and one after another in a row, they are going near the Devi. When one group displays their performances before Devi, next row will be behind them. When the first group moves, second group take their place to display their art forms. This process continues till all plots are displayed and it may take hours to complete the whole entertaining ceremony.

Performers really love to take their photos and they stand along with us to take some nice photos, particularly kids. They do so, once they have withdrawn from Devi’s temple. Till then, they will be fully devoted in their dance shows. Performers, though males, look excellent in female characters too. Most common are Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Parvathy, Ganapathi, Muruga etc and traditional art forms like Theyyam and Kathakali. It’s mostly crowded, irrespective of castes and religions and every villager loves velapooram a lot with balloons and candies. People coming as a group are a normal sight during this festival season and temple ground is also so big to accommodate such a huge crowd.

Temple rules are so strict

Now also a few temples are there in Kerala which follows old traditional customs. Men can’t go inside the temple wearing pants and shirts. Only white/cream colour dhoti is allowed. It’s applicable for small boys too. Similarly, women can’t go inside the temple wearing churidar, shirt or pants. Only saris are allowed. Girls should wear skirt, no churidars. When I went to this temple for the first time on my daughter’s previous birthday, I was stopped outside for wearing churidar. At that time, my parents took her inside the temple.

A few words about Thechikottkavu Ramachandran

He is known to be the second tallest elephant of Asia. It’s the pride of this temple and he takes ‘Thidamb’ – idol of Bhagavathy during Annual festival celebration. He also goes every year for Thrissur Pooram and many other poorams of major temples of Thrissur including Guruvayur and Thriprayar. Actually, India is not his home land. He was gifted by a foreigner to a person in Kerala in the year 1964. Later someone else borrowed him and now he is the most popular elephant of Thrissur. Two years before, in 2010, he was honoured by ‘Gajaraja pattam’ - the king of elephants and he was given a warm welcome all through the streets by people of Thrissur. Now also, his cut-outs are placed in different parts of the town and still now, he is popular. He even owns a fans’ association. That shows his popularity in the state. He has even celebrated many temple poorams of Kottayam, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts. His peculiarity is his height of his head. Normal elephants, their heads and body are almost at same level. But God blessed Ramachandran with rarest of rarest head structure – it stands high while we compare him with other elephants. May be to carry deities with pride and honour. Yes, he is a blessed elephant and elephant lovers are made in its love!

Though he is famous, he is notorious and mischievous too from his younger age. He has even killed one of his mahouts and caused much destruction. At that time, he was put in chains for many days. He has almost lost sight of one of his eyes years back. It’s believed he lost his eye sight due to punishments and his mischief. During last festival season I have seen him as the leader of elephant group carrying the idol for procession. He is so mischievous that no one can give even a banana to another elephant in front of him. Also, he won’t allow any other elephant to take Bhagavathi’s thidamb. Already he has attacked many people and elephants. Yet, people love him for his special and rare features and the pride he has given to the temple. Now he is owned by Thechikkottukavu Peramangalthu Devaswom and he stays in the temple itself. He is also known as Raman and Thechikodan and he is the symbol of pride for ‘Thechikodu –Peramangalam’ Desam.  I didn't know then that he is a living legend, loved by thousands of fans all over Kerala, when I saw him last year carrying Bhagavathi's thidamb for their festival.

Let me conclude

Festival season of Kerala normally starts in January and lasts till May. Annual celebration of Thechikootkavu is conducted during January - February months and it’s very famous among pooram festivals too.