Aarattupuzha pooram is a pooram of different temples. The nearby temples pooram with elephant procession comes to Aaratupuzha temple. Around 23 gods and goddesses are taken to the temple premises from neighboring temples. On the pooram day (6th April 2009) around 0630 pm the pooram starts with a colourful display of 15 caparisoned elephants. Around 11 pm Triprayar Thevar will be leading the Pooram accompanied by 11 elephants with Panchavadyam. Pancharimelam of 250 artists with
21 elephants will be followed. A good fireworks display will concludes the day.

At around 5 am on 7 April, kootti-ezhunnullippu begins with the grand display of 71 caparisoned elephants. The elephants are paraded at the nearby paddy field - Ezham kandam. At around 0630 am the Aarat at Mandarakkadav (banks of river Bharatapuzha) begins with the holy bath of Pisharadickal bhagavathy and the other gods and goddesses will perform aarat. During the aarat, the presence of Ganga is believed and mass of devotees will take bath to free them from the sins. The festival comes to an end with a farewell function called upacharam. For the 2010 pooram date visit www.aarattupuzhatemple.com

The temple is located 16 km from Thrissur on the Kodungalloor route and buses can be boarded from Shaktan stand. The bus route goes via the famous Koorkanchery and Peruvanum temples. One has to reach the temple by auto as the main road is 2 km away. The whole route is decorated with lights. A couple of buses operates from the temple to Shaktan stand, Thrissur.

Gods and goddesses of the pooram : Aarattupuzha Shasthav (Lord Shiva), Triprayar Thevar (Lord Vishnu), Oorakathamma thiruvadi (Mahalakshmi), Cherppu bhagavathy, Chathakudam shasthav, Anthikavu bhgavathy, Thottipal bhgavathy, Pishatrickal bhgavathy, Edakunni bhgavathy, Ayyunnil bhagavathy, Thaikattussery bhagavathy, Kaduppassery bhagavathy, Choorakkode bhagavathy, Poonilarkavil bhagavathy, Kattu pisharickal bhagavathy, Chakkamkulangara Shasthav, Kodannur Shashtav, Namkulam
Shasthav, Sreemattil Shasthav, Nettishery Shasthav, Kallely Shasthav, Chittichatthakudam Shasthav, Medakulam Shasthav.

The 1427th pooram in 2009 was insured with Oriental insurance company at Rs 4 crore 60 lakh by Cochin Devasom board. The Shashtav's thidambu was beared by gajaraja Thiruvambadi Shivsunder. Aarattupuzha Shasthav (Lord Shiva) is the teacher of Lord Rama. Gold covered glittering caparison have bubbles of different size and crescents on it. Chamayam items are colourful parasols (kuda, mainly red), Chamaram (will be having silvered handle), alavattom (peacock feather fans) and bells for the elephant's legs and neck. The cloth torches (thiri vetti) used for the elephant procession will be lighted using specially prepared coconut oil to minimise smoke.

The 4 hour long, 250 artists pancharimelam is lead by the maestro Peruvanam Kuttan marar, assisted by Kelath Aravindhshan, Peruvanam Satheesan, Peruvanam Prakashan, Shivan and Shankara Narayanan. The instruments used are kurum kuzhal, elethalam, veekam chenda, maddalam, thimila, kombu, edakka etc.



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