Thrissur, formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and the 21st largest in India. The city is built around a 65-acre (26 ha) hillock called the Thekkinkaadu Maidaanam which seats a large Hindu Shiva Temple. It is located 304 kilometres (189 mi) north-west of the state's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin, and was a point of contact for the Assyrians, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English.
The ThrissurPooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram day—the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam Calendar month of Medam. It is the largest and most famous of all poorams in India. Thrissur pooram is also one of the largest festivals in Asia with more than 1 million visitors.
The Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva in Thrissur, in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India. The temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four sides in addition to a koothambalam. Mural paintings depicting various scenes from the Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple. The shrines and the Kuttambalam display vignettes carved in wood. The temple, along with the mural paintings, has been declared as a National Monument by India under the AMASR Act. According to popular local lore, this is the first temple built by Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu. Thekkinkadu Maidan, encircling the Vadakkumnathan Temple, is the main venue of the renowned Thrissur Pooram festival.
Elephants found in Kerala, the Indian elephants, are one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant. Since 1986, Asian elephants have been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 25,600 to 32,750 in the wild. The species is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. Along with a large population of wild elephants, Kerala has more than seven hundred captive elephants. Most of them are owned by temples and individuals. They are used for religious ceremonies in and around the temples, and some churches, and a few elephants work at timber yards.
Rama Varma Kunji pillai Thampuran (1751–1805), or Rama Varma IX, popularly known as Sakthan Thampuran, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin. The current southern Indian city of Kochi was part of the erstwhile princely state of Kochi. He resided at Vadakkechira Palace in Thrissur. The city of Thrissur is referred to as the Cultural Capital of Kerala owing to its many traditional festivals and historic temples. Sakthan Thampuran is considered the architect of the city of Thrissur. The festival Thrissur Pooram was started by him.
Bhadrakali is a Hindu goddess. She is considered to be the auspicious and fortunate form of Adi Shakti who protects the good, known as bhadra.
Panchavadyam, literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four — timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka — belong to the percussion category, while the fifth, kombu, is a wind instrument.
Radhashtami is a Hindu religious day commemorating the birth anniversary of the goddess Radha, the chief consort of the god Krishna. It is celebrated in her birthplace Barsana and the entire Braj region on the eighth day (ashtami) of the bright (waxing) half of the lunar month of Bhadrapada. Radhashtami falls fifteen days after Krishna Janmashtami.
Kollam Pooram is a festival held each April in Kollam City in the Indian state of Kerala. The festival attracts large number of people from all parts of the state and is organised in connection with the annual festival of the Asramam Sree Krishna Swamy Temple at Kollam's Asramam Maidan. The festival has now assumed the status of a national festival attracting tourists in large numbers.
Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple is a Hindu temple in the city of Thrissur in Kerala, India. The main deities of this temple are Krishna in the form of a child, and Bhadrakali, both having equal importance. There are sub-shrines for Ganesha, Sastha and Brahmarakshasa, and there is a sub-temple for Ganesha behind the temple. The temple is one of the two rival groups participating in the Thrissur Pooram.
Velur or Veloor is a village and panchayat in Kunnamkulam Taluk, Thrissur district, Kerala, India with a population of 22,155. Other places close to Velur are Kechery, Wadakkanchery etc.
Nandotsava is a Hindu festival celebrated on the ninth day of the waning moon during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, occurring the day after the festival of Krishna Janmashtami. This corresponds to late August to early September in the Gregorian calendar. It honours Nanda, the foster-father of the deity Krishna. According to legend, following the deity's birth, his father, Vasudeva, carried the infant to the house of his cousin Nanda and Yashoda to the settlement of Gokulam, where he was raised.
The Municipal Corporation Building, Thrissur, is the seat of the Thrissur Municipal Corporation and is situated in the middle of Thrissur city, Kerala, India.
Peruvanam Kuttan Marar is a chenda artist. He leads several popular traditional orchestra performances in Kerala. He received Padma Shri, India's third highest civilian award, in 2011 for his contributions in the field of art.
All India Agricultural, Industrial, Educational and Cultural Exhibition or commonly called the Thrissur Pooram Exhibition is an exhibition organised jointly by Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple Devaswom and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple Devaswom, ahead of Thrissur Pooram in Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur city. It is usually conducted over a period of 40 to 50 days during the Thrissur Pooram.The exhibition is the largest in Kerala in terms of attendance and floor space.
Ilanjithara Melam is an assembly of percussion performance artists held at Ilanji tree at the courtyard of the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur city during the Thrissur Pooram. It is considered one of the best platforms for traditional Kerala music and the largest assembly of percussion artistes in any other Poorams. The Melam in technical exactness and instrumental discipline are the best example of Pandi Melam.
Thiruvambady Convention Centre is located at Marar Road in Thrissur city of Kerala state. The convention centre was built by Thiruvambady Devaswom, that manages day-to-day administration and functions of Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, Thrissur.
Thiruvambadi Sivasundar was an Indian elephant who lived at the Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, India.
Paramekkavu Rajendran was an elephant from Kerala, who holds the record of participating in the most number of Thrissur Poorams for more than 50 years.
Kizhakkoottu Aniyan Marar is an Indian chenda artist from Kerala. He leads several popular traditional orchestra performances in Kerala, most notably the Thrissur Pooram. He is a recipient of several awards including the Kerala Government's highest musical award, Pallavoor Puraskaram.
