Thrissur Pooram was the brain child of Raja Rama Varma or famously known as Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790–1805). Before the start of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival in Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha knows as Arattupuzha Pooram. Temples in and around City of Thrissur were regular participants. One day because of incessant rains, they were late for the Arattupuzha Pooram and were denied access to the Pooram procession. Felt embarrassed by the denial, the temples went to the Sakthan Thampuran and told their story. So in 1798, he unified the 10 temples situated around Wadakkunnathan Temple and organised the celebration of Thrissur Pooram as a mass festival. He invited temples with their deities to City of Thrissur to pay obeisance to Lord Wadakkunnathan, the presiding deity of the Wadakkunnathan Temple. Sakthan Thampuran ordained these temples into two groups, namely "Paramekkavu side" and "Thiruvambady side". The Paramekkavu side consists of besides "Paramekkavu Bagavathy", 1) Pookattikkara-Karamukku Baghavathy, 2) Choorakattukara Baghavathy, 3)Chempukkavu Baghavathy, 4) Panemukkumpilly Sastha. Besides Thiruvambady Baghavathy, the Thiruvambady side is having 1) Ayyanthole Baghavathy 2) Nethilakkavu Baghavathy 3) Laloor bagavathy 4) Kanimangalam Sastha. The Pooram was to be centered around the Wadakkunnathan Temple, with all these temples sending their Poorams (the whole procession), to pay obeisance to the Shiva, the presiding deity. The Thampuran is believed to have chalked out the program and the main events of the Thrissur Pooram festival

Kodiyettam:

The Pooram celebration begins seven days before the main Pooram. It starts with the ceremonial flag hoisting (Kodiyettam) by various participating temples. There will be a ceremonial flag hoisting at Naduvilal and Naikkanal in Thrissur City also.The southern gopuram(തെക്കേ ഗോപുരം) opens only on the pooram day

Display of Caparisons:

The golden elephant caparison (Nettipattam), elephant accoutrements (Chamayam), ornamental fan made of peacock feathers (Aalavattom), royal fan (Venchamarom), sacred bells and decorative umbrellas are prepared new by Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devawsoms separately.

Main Pooram:

The pooram starts at the time of Kanimangalam sasthavu ezhunnellippu in the early morning and followed by the ezhunnellippu of other six temples. One of the major event in Thrissur pooram is “Madathil varavu”- is a panchavadhyam melam, participating more than 200 artists, consists of Thimila, Madhalam, Trumpet, Cymbal and Edakka (Different types of instruments). At 2’ O clock, inside the wadakkumnathan temple starts the famous Ilanjithara melam – a type of melam consists of drum, trumpets, pipe and cymbal.The pooram has a good collection of elephants (more than 50) decorated with nettipattam (decorative golden headdress), strikingly crafted Kolam, decorative bells, ornaments and the umbrellas, venchamaram, and alavattam are awesome and it enrich the beauty of elephants and pooram.At the end of the pooram, after the Ilanjithara melam, both Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi groups enter the temple through the western gate and come out through the southern gate and array themselves, face to face in distant places. The two groups in the presence of melam, exchange colourful and crafted umbrellas competitively at the top of the elephants – called Kudamattom, which is eye catching attraction of the pooram. Later all Poorams conclude at Nilapaduthara near western goupuram of Wadakkunnathan Temple The notable feature of the pooram is its secular nature. All other communities actively participate and make their prominent role in each and every part of the festival. Most of the pandal works are crafted by muslim community. The materials for the umbrellas for ‘Kudamattom’ are offered by the churches and their members. It is a good sign of secularism which is disintegrating nowadays.

Display of fireworks :

Fireworks are an essential part of almost all events in Kerala .But in Thrissur Pooram, the fire works are distinct in character, performance, excellence and magnitude. Both Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu temples compete with each other to provide the crowd with the best and the most unexpected. People come from faraway places to watch this amazing display of pyrotechnics. There are four major firework displays in Thrissur Pooram. The 'sample fireworks' on the day before the Pooram, the colorful sparklers that light up the sky (amittu) by both sides on the Pooram evening after the Southward Descent, the most impressive event that mark the peak of Pooram celebrations in the early morning hours, and the final fireworks the following noon after the Goddesses bid farewell to each other that mark the end of Pooram.

Farewell Ceremony :

The seventh day of Pooram is the last day of Pooram.It is otherwise known as "Pakal pooram"(പകല്‍ പൂരം), For the people of Thrissur pooram is not only a festival it is a time for hospitality Upacharam Cholli Piriyal(ഉപചാരം ചൊല്ലി പിരിയല്‍) (Farewell Ceremony) is last event held at Swaraj Round. Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple idols were taken from the Swaraj Round to their respective temples mark the end of the Pooram celebrations. The festival will end with display of fireworks known as Pakal Vedikkettu.

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