Thrissur: Thrissur Pooram, is known for the masses that assemble to behold magnificent fiesta, complete with adorned elephants, fireworks, and the elaborate percussion ensembles. In the times of COVID-19, the temple festival is slated to remain just a custom.
As, Thrissur Pooram went by without the huge gathering and absolutely no festive frills and fervour. Sunil Kumar, a native of Chittilappally in Thrissur, and an ardent lover of the extravagant custom recreates the scenes of the festival in a miniature form.
Sunil, a creative designer with a firm in Dubai, had come on leave to Thrissur just before the lockdown was declared. With lots of free time owing to the COVID-19 lockdown, Sunil started work on replicating ‘Poora Vilambaram’, the customary beginning of the year’s festival, using forex sheets.
Read: Lockdown art: A fascinating miniature of Kerala's temple festival
The scene - of the tusker Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran adorned with a caparison, pushing the Southern entrance to the temple open, moving out carrying the Thidambu (a replica of the deity carried out in procession) of Neythalakavilamma to the festival ground where the mass throngs to get a glimpse, and the percussion ensemble adding fervour to the Poora Vilambaram - is etched in the minds of all Pooram lovers.
The replica of ‘Poora Vilambaram’ is set in Sunil’s work with the temple elephant Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran carrying the diety’s Thidambu, the assembly of percussionists, and the masses thronging the temple’s entrance. Sunil celebrates Thrissur Pooram this year by recreating what is etched in the memory of every Malayali.
Earlier, he had modelled the Paramekkavu Temple Pooram Purappadu (the beginning of the festival). By the end of the once extended lockdown, Sunil will be ready to exhibit all his Pooram special miniature models.
