Thrissur: The thunderous celebrations of Thrissur Pooram got a kickstart with the ceremonial entrance of ‘Kanimangalam Sastha’ to the Vadakkunnathan Temple. Tusker Thechikottkavu Ramachandran carried the ‘thidambu’ during the ceremonial procession ‘Madathil Varavu’ to the Vadakkunnathan temple.

The rhythmic charm of ‘panchavadyam’, the traditional percussion ensembles in temples, began at 11 am and the ‘Chembada Melam’ will commence at 12.30 pm in front of the Paramekkavu Temple. Thousands of Pooram enthusiasts shall throng the premises to catch a glimpse of the grandeur of melams. 

By 2.10 pm, Paramekkavu Bhagavathy's Ilanjithara Melam, the peak attraction of the Pooram, will begin at the Vadakkunnathan Temple. Following which, viewers can enjoy the festival’s most colourful event, ‘Kudamattam’, an exchange of ornate parasols on caparisoned elephants, attracting the maximum crowd in the festival. 

Soon after, jumbos Guruvayur Nandan and Chandrasekharan carrying Paramekkavilamma and Thiruvambady Bhagavathy will grace the occasion amid a cheering crowd eager to witness the vibrant spectacle. At 10.30 pm, percussion maestro Chottanikkara Nandappa Marar will lead the panchavadhyam of Paramekkavu. 

After hours, around 3 am on Monday, the sky will be lit up by the scintillating fireworks display by the Thiruvambady group, followed by Paramekkavu camp. Later, the Pooram rituals will come to a close with the 'Upacharam Cholli Piriyal' (bidding farewell) after the Pakal Pooram. 

Meanwhile, in the wake of the possibility of heavy rains, an orange alert has been sounded in Thrissur on Sunday. Isolated heavy showers are likely in districts namely Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Thrissur.