Thrissur (Kerala): The Kollam temple tragedy is likely to cast a shadow on the world-famous Thrissur Pooram festival known for its colorful parade of caparisoned elephants and spectacular firework display.
With Kerala High Court banning the use of high-decibel fireworks in the night at places of worship across the state, festival organisers are getting apprehensive that the grand festival may lose its traditional grandeur.
Hours after the court had on issue the order, two major Devaswoms - Paramekkavu and Thiruvampady - the major players in the festival sought "higher level" intervention to organise the state's renowned week-long festivities which commenced on Monday.
"We will not take any risk. If there are no fireworks, we will have to abandon this national festival," said K Manoharan, President of the Paramekkavu Devaswom.
Manoharan, who has been part of the Pooram organising committee for last five decades, said the two Devaswoms have decided to become a party in the ongoing case in the High Court and apprise the judiciary of a Supreme Court order they received in favour of organising the festival in its traditional way.
The Devaswoms will move High Court with their versions during its sitting on Thursday afternoon.
"Police, Revenue and Forest Departments are putting a lot of restrictions in organising the event. This morning we received a letter from the Forest Department, saying that there should be 4 m of distance between two elephants being paraded as part of the festival", Manoharan said.
"There will be 15 elephants from our side and keeping such a distance between elephants is not practical due to space crunch. In such a scenario, why should we take risk," he asked.
He said the Thrissur Pooram has been adjudged by the UNESCO as "the most spectacular festival event on the planet" and abandoning such a festival is very painful for him as well as the people of Thrissur.
Besides fireworks display, processions of majestically caparisoned elephants and changing of sequined parasols are the other major attractions of Pooram festival that culminates on April 17.
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