News and Events (Travel and Tourism) From Kerala

 

Tourist arrivals to Kerala not affected by Tsunami
	The tourist arrivals to Kerala have not been affected by the Tsunami wave attack that took place about three months ago, according to the statistics with the state tourism department. Even though the incident happened during the peak tourist season, it failed to affect the industry as was feared. The trend of cancellation of bookings was short-lived. International tourist arrivals recorded a 16.69 per cent growth in 2004 when compared to the previous year. The number of domestic tourists who have visited the State in 2004 is 5.8 million, which is in fact an increase of 0.101 million compared to last year. Interestingly, January, the month,
which could have been badly affected by the Tsunami witnessed an increase of 1.5 percent in international tourist arrivals. International tourist arrivals have significance for the State's tourism industry, since they stay for longer duration, and spend more. It is calculated that on an average, international tourists stay for about 14 days in Kerala, while the domestic tourists stay for a maximum of 6 days.
Kerala has emerged as a premium tourist destination with steady increase in the tourist inflow. This, the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mr. E. K. Bharat Bhushan attributes to the travel- trade fraternity across the State, which without fail comes up with inspiring experience-centred products. Last year, Kerala Tourism participated in 12 domestic and six international fairs. The responses from trade participants in these fairs were very enthusiastic. Focused promotional activities and participation in major international travel and trade fairs have enhanced the popularity of Kerala. This is part of the long-term plan with focus on key markets like the United Kingdom and Germany. High potential markets like Italy, Spain and Australia would be explored, said Mr. Bharat Bhushan. Italy is the fifth largest emerging market for Kerala's tourism industry and Australia is the seventh.

Event Date : April 20^th 2005

Thrissur Pooram

A finely executed shot of the Thrissur Pooram showing a row of well-adorned elephants amidst a thronging multitude of onlookers has the honour of being the picture of the month.The most colourful temple festival of Kerala, Thrissur Pooram attracts large masses of devotees and spectators from all parts of the State and even outside. Celebrated in Madom (April-May) it consists of processions of richly caparisoned elephants from various neighbouring temples to the Vadakumnathan temple, Thrissur. The most impressive processions are those from the Krishna Temple at Thiruvanbadi and the Devi Temple at Paramekkavu which is quite a significant event for its devotees.

	This festival was introduced by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of the erst while Kochi State. Perhaps, there is no other festival in Kerala that draws such an unbelievable number of people to a single event. However Vadakkunnathan is a mere spectator at this festival, lending its premises and grounds for the great event. The pooram festival is also well known for the magnificient display of fire works. Fire works start in the early hours and the dazzling display last three to four hours. The Pooram Festival is celebrated by two rival groups representing the two divisions of Thrissur Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi vying with each
other in making the display of fireworks grander and more colourful. Each group is allowed to display a maximum of fifteen elephants and all efforts are made by each party to secure the best elephants in South India and the most artistic parasols, several kinds of which are raised on the elephants during the display. Commencing in the early hours of the morning, the celebrations last till the break of dawn, the next day.
The procession of the Thiruvambadi Pooram to the grounds of Vadakkumnatha Temple and back is not only important, but also quite enlivening. The marvellous as well as magical effect of the Panchavadyam, a combination of five precussion and wind instruments is to be felt and enjoyed. THRISSUR POORAM – ‘POORAM OF ALL POORAMS’   Thrissur Pooran, the pooram of all Poorams, falls in April every year. It is different from other national festivals like the Kumbha Mela of Uttar Pradesh, the Vijayadashami pageantry of Mysore or the Rath Yatra of Orissa. It is intrinsically a people’s festival in all respects It is conducted by the active participation of people cutting across all barriers of caste and religion. The unique catholic nature of Pooram could be traced to its genesis two centuries ago when Sakthan Thampuran, the very architect of Thrissur, becamethe ruler of the erstwhile state Kochi. When he,Prince Rama Varma (1751-1805), enthroned as the ruler, the fortunes of the state was at its lowest ebb. The state was totally disorganized with internecine feuds among feudal lords and the priestly class. Events like occupation of the Thrissur palace by the Zamorin of Kozhikode and a series of invasions by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore who had converted the sacred precincts of Vadakunnathan temple into his battle Headquarters were humiliating experiences to the new ruler. The result was the renovation by him of the 10 acre temple complex.   He was obsessed with the rampant corruption in the administration of the Vaddakkannathan temple. He turned his attention towards overcoming the Brahmin hegemony.At a time when nobody would have dared to look straight at the almighty Namboodiris, Sakthan Thampuran stripped of their powers and took over the administration of the temple that claimed an antiquity of more than three centuries. Thrissur Pooram, its major venue is the sprawling Thekkinkadu Maidan, is an outcome of his antipathy to the blue-blooded aristocracy. He entrusted the onus of holding the festival to the two temples- Tthiruvampadi and Paramekkavu temples that had never been under the control of the Namboodiris. He is said to have drawn up the 36-hour hectic schedule of the Pooram festival.   Thrissur Pooram, the mother of all temple festivals in the state, is essentially one of spectacles. The two devaswams- Thiruvampadi and Paramekkavu- explore and exploit every source at their command to make this annual festival a memorable one. It is celebrated with a colourful procession of caparisoned elephants, parasol exchanges, drum concerts, display of pyro-techniques and refreshing scenes of public participation. During the festival season, Thrissur, popularly known as the temple town turns into a town of colour, music and mirth. The Pooram programmes extending about 36 hours begins with the ezhunellippu of the Kanimangalam Shasta in the morning followed by the ezhunnellippu of the other six minor temples on the Pooram Day. The ezhunnellippu programme which is considered to be a ritual symbolising the visit of the Devi from the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi temples to the Vadakkunnathan temple. A major event of the Pooram festival is the Panchavadyam in which about 200 artistes from the disciplines of Thimila, Maddalam, Trumpet, Cymbal and Edakka participate. Another major event of the pooram begins with the setting off of the ‘Pandemelam’ at noon in which about 200 artistes in the disciplines of drum, trumpets, pipe and cymbal participate. The grand finale of this festival of colour, music and fire works would be marked with a function of bidding farewell to the deities of the Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devaswams in front of the Western Gate of the Vadakkunnathan Temple.   A noteworthy feature of the pooram festival is the participation of a cross section of people and elephants. The pachyderms emerge out in all their regalia with newly fabricated caparisons. They make their way through the milling crowds drawn from all religions, castes and creed to the accompaniment of ecstatic percussion ensembles. The exhibition of the paraphernalia of elephant decorative, commonly known as ‘Aana Chamayal pradarsanam’, the spectacular show of ‘Kudamattom’ in which parasols of myriad numbers, designs and colours are exchanged by the people atop the elephants.   The Pooram festival is concluded with a spectacular fire works display, which is held in the wee hours of the day after the Pooram. The Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devaswams present many innovative patterns and varieties of fire works which make spectators going into raptures. This famous and mighty display of the magnificent display of fireworks add to the popularity of the Pooram festival.   The most striking feature of the Thrissur Pooram is its very secular nature. The Muslim and Christian Communities actively take part in it and they play a very prominent role in the very conduct of the festival. Most of the pandals are the craft work of the experts from the Muslim community. For the two days of the festival, the CMS High School owned by the North Kerala Diocese of CST Church and located on the western part of the Swaraj Round, becomes virtually the Headquarters of the Thiruvampadi Devaswam. The temple elephants are tied in the school compound. The ‘Aana Chamaya pradarsanam’ is also held here. The parasols for the ‘Kudamattom’ are offered by the churches and their members. At a time when the secular fabric of the Indian Society is slowly disintegrating, one can not be myopic to the relevance of Thrissur Pooram, the conduct of which should become worthy of emulation to other festivals in the country.

Champakulam Boat Race, Champakulam Alappuzha Event Date : 22 Jun,2005
	Venue: Champakkulam, Alappuzha district. The Champakkulam boat race is the first of the season and is one of the few, which are centuries old. The festivities include spectacular water floats, decorated boats, Vanchipattu or the song of the oarsmen and the most thrilling Chundanvallom race. Chundans are a category of boats that are over 100 feet in length with raised prow. They were called snake boats by the colonial rulers and continue to be known so till date.
Getting there: Nearest railway station: Alappuzha about 24 kms away. Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 85 kms away ; from Alappuzha town 14km.