Thrissur: The recent strict guidelines issued by the Kerala High Court regarding the use of elephants in temple festivals have raised concerns about the future of the Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala. K. Girish Kumar, Secretary of Thiruvambady Devaswom, has expressed fears that the new restrictions will create a crisis for the festival. Kumar stated that the Pooram cannot be held if the High Court's guidelines are followed.

The High Court’s order mandates a series of stringent restrictions on the use of elephants in temple festivals, including the requirement of an eight-meter distance between elephants and the public, and barricades to ensure safety. The court's decision comes as part of a suo motu case registered on the basis of animal cruelty, specifically addressing the treatment of elephants during festivals.

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According to Kumar, the guidelines would make it impossible to carry out important rituals like Tekkoterakku and Madhatil varavu, which are central to the 36-hour-long Pooram ceremony. He explained that for the full ritual, more than 150 elephants are required, and the new rules would hinder these traditional practices. He further added that such decisions should not be based solely on the concerns raised by NGOs that oppose the use of elephants during festivals.

Both the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswom boards had previously expressed these concerns, stating that they would not be able to conduct the Pooram under the new conditions.

State Revenue Minister K. Rajan also weighed in on the matter, stating that if the High Court's instructions are followed, the Pooram would no longer be carried out in its current form, which is cherished by festival-goers. He mentioned that a meeting has been scheduled on November 20 under the leadership of the Minister of Forestry to discuss the implications of the new amendments to the Elephants' Preservation Act.

The Pooram Premi Sangham, an organization that advocates for the festival, has called for urgent government intervention. Vinod Kanden Kavu, the convener of the Sangham, expressed concern that the current regulations would prevent the festival from being celebrated in its traditional form. He added that there is an ongoing movement, backed by foreign forces, seeking to disrupt the original way of celebrating Pooram.

The Kerala High Court’s intervention followed sharp criticism of the treatment of elephants, with the court comparing their lives to "eternal Treblinka," a reference to the Nazi extermination camp. The court condemned the exploitation of captive elephants in religious festivals, arguing that the practice, while framed as a tradition, is often driven by commercial interests and neglects the animals' welfare.