watch big elephants and big fireworks
The city of Thrissur is Kerala’s festival hotspot and Pooram - the elephant procession to end all elephant processions - is the festival that outranks all others. Introduced as a spectacle around 200 years ago, it’s an inclusive celebration bringing together Hindus, Muslims and Christians, though it’s mostly about the elephants.
In the main parade, two teams of 15 beautifully caparisoned elephants face off across the temple grounds. On each elephant’s back, a man holds a parasol taller than the elephant itself, while another waves a yak-tail fan like a feather boa. As the pandimelam (temple orchestra) plays, the parasols are exchanged among the men standing on the animals. All the while the drums continue to bang through the day, and in the night there’s a pyrotechnic display of elephantine proportions, with fireworks going snap, crackle and pop for up to four hours.As the Festival alongside hundreds of elephants that rope comes decorated with colorful cloth. To simulate a parade of tourists visit. There is also an instrumental folk music and fun. Held April 28 date