Pooram is a popular annual festival of South India. It is celebrated in temples dedicated to goddesses Durga or Kali. It is organized after the summer harvest in Valluvanadu area and other adjoining parts of north-central Kerala including Present Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts. There are various types of pooram that are celebrated with great pomp and show. Every year devotees from various corners of the state flock to the temples to witness this age old festival.

Types of Pooram
The most famous pooram festival is Thrissur Pooram which is held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur. The second best pooram is Uthralikavu Pooram. Harimattom pooram is also quite popular in the state. This pooram is mainly organized at ernakulam. Some of the other famous pooram are Aryankavu Pooram, Machattu Thiruvanikavu Vela, Arattupuzha-Peruvanam Pooram, Chinakathoor pooram, Mannarkkad Pooram and Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram. Most of the pooram festivals have at least one ornately decorated elephant being paraded in the procession taken out of the temple precincts. However, pooram like Aryankavu Pooram near Palakkad and Machattu Thiruvanikavu Vela near Wadakkanchery do not use the caparisoned elephant. They opt for stilted mannequins of horses or bullocks.

Celebration of Pooram
Pooram is celebrated with great pomp and show. During this temple festival, several musical ensembles are performed. Melam, which is a classical performance of different kind of musical instruments, is very popular amongst the devotees. The most traditional of all melam is called Pandi Melam. It is generally performed outside the temple. Panchari Melam is also popular but it is played inside the temple.

Another classical musical ensemble performed during pooram is Panchavadyam. In this classical ensemble five types of instruments including Madhalam, Kombu, Edakka, Elathalam and Timila are played together. Thayambaka, a type of solo chenda performance, is also performed during this temple festival.

Apart from this, several other entertaining shows are also demonstrated during this festival. One can enjoy Harijan Vela or Parayar Vela in the Valluvanad and Talappilly region. Then Tholpavakoothu, a traditional shadow puppetry show, is also exhibited during pooram. Another attraction of this festival is the famous pandimellam in which famous 10 elephants from kerala are exhibited.