A major difference of opinion has emerged between the Kerala government and the district medical officer (DMO) on the issue of holding the famous Thrissur Pooram, an annual temple festival known for the parade of richly caparisoned elephants and performance of traditional music.
The state government has said it is ready to hold the festival, whereas the DMO − citing the surge in COVID-19 cases − is against it. The District Collector has written to the Chief Secretary to issue directions to hold the annual festival by referring to the government decision, which the DMO has opposed.
The DMO K J Reena, on Sunday, told reporters that she expects the government to rethink its decision. “I don’t think any government will play with the lives of the people. If it does, we are inviting grave danger. We will have to re-open the COVID-19 Frontline Treatment Centres. Our efforts of the last one-and-a-half-years will go waste,” she said.
On the other hand, V S Sunil Kumar, a Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF goverment, told reporters the festival would be held as per the COVID-19 protocol. “The government is set to hold the Pooram this time. All the decisions have been taken after consulting with the Health Department. All the Devaswoms are cooperating with the government. The decision of the government is to conduct the Pooram,” he said, adding that the crowd can be controlled.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Paramekkavu Devaswom said that the decision was taken by the government after considering all the factors. “We all know that a surge in coronavirus cases will come after the elections. That would have been factored in when the government took this decision. We wonder why the DMO has second thoughts about this now,” G Rajesh, Paramekkavu Devaswom representative, told the reporters.
Last May, the Pooram was held in a low-key manner with just a handful of people and rituals in the temple. Billed as the mother of all temple festivals in Kerala, the event is typically held at the sprawling Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur city. The two-century-old Thrissur Pooram has its origins in a 1798 royal edict of the then ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Cochin, Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as Shakthan Thampuran. The edict entrusted two local temples − Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady − with the task to be the main sponsors of the festivities to be conducted in a competitive spirit.
Besides the main Poorams by the two Devaswoms, small Poorams from nearby temples too participate in the festivities.
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