The tug of war between the CPI(M)-led Kerala Government and Hindus in the State has cast a shadow on the future of the more than two centuries old Thrissur Pooram, scheduled for April 2024. Thrissur Pooram, known across the world as the Festival of Festivals and featuring nearly one hundred caparisoned elephants and more than 500 percussionists, is facing unprecedented uncertainty.

A decision by the Kerala Government to hike the rentals of the venue from `42 lakh to `2.2 crore has upset the organisers, who told the authorities that they would be forced to cut short the festivities to mere ritual and do away with the splendour and pomp of Pooram.

Nandakishor, humourist and the unofficial cultural ambassador of Thrissur, has taken up the cudgel on behalf of Pooram aficionados and believers.

“The stance of the Government to hike the rental is not at all justifiable or convincing. Pooram is a cultural event and has become famous for its aesthetic value. Though the organisers of Pooram hinted at restricting the festival to a ritual, the response by the Government that it would organise the Pooram is being seen as an attempt to wrest control of the two famous temples, Vadakkumnathan and Paramekkavu,” Nandakishor told The Pioneer.

He said that Pooram is a socio-cultural event and should not be treated as a money-spinner. “All temples that come under the Cochin Devaswam Board, which is under CPI(M) control, are financed by the Thiruvampady and Parameikkavu Devaswams,” said Nandakishor.

Millions make it to Thrissur to watch the Pooram show when elephants line up for a colourful display of umbrellas and fireworks. “Many movies in Malayalam have Pooram as a theme, and it is impossible to imagine what Thrissur would be without this centuries-old festival,” said Raju Raphel, a documentary filmmaker based in Thrissur. He said organisers were hoping against hope to stage the event to rekindle the spirit of the local residents.

The controversy took a new turn on Wednesday as leading astrologers assembled at Kozhikode, issuing a statement asking the Kerala Government and the organisers of the event to work out a solution. “If there is any interruption in organising the Pooram, it would adversely affect the divinity associated with Thrissur and surrounding areas. Thrissur, besides being the cultural capital of Kerala, is a major commercial and trading hub in South India,” said Kakkassery Raveendran Panickar, an astrologer-cum-astronomer who is the secretary of Panickar Service Society, a think-tank on astrology and astronomy. Pooram, which is led by Devaswams (the boards that control the Vadakkumnathan and Paramekkavu temples), features nearly 20 temples in and around Thrissur city.

“More than a Hindu festival, Pooram is an inter-religious congregation where all three major religions take part with enthusiasm. The preparations for the Pooram itself are a round-the-year process and involve the making of colorful umbrellas and other paraphernalia to be displayed atop the elephants standing in parade at the venue,” said Sudheer Damodaran, a cultural activist in the district.

The Pooram is already enmeshed in controversy regarding the use of elephants for the parade. Animal rights activists have challenged the organisers’ decision to use the pachyderms as an act of cruelty to the elephants. The elephants are made to stand for more than 15 hours without any break during the Pooram gaiety.