Uthralikkavu Pooram dazzles with elephants, melam and vibrant rituals

The famed Uthralikkavu Pooram, one of the most celebrated temple festivals in central Kerala, was held with grandeur on Tuesday (February 24, 2026), drawing thousands of devotees and festival enthusiasts to the post-harvest paddy fields in front of Uthralikkavu Temple.

The festivities began around 11.30 a.m. with the ceremonial procession (ezhunnallippu) of Enkakkad Desam, accompanied by the rhythmic resonance of Panchavadyam at the temple courtyard. Eleven caparisoned elephants lined up majestically, with the idol mounted on the renowned elephant Thiruvambady Chandrasekharan, setting a majestic tone for the celebrations.

As the Enkakkad procession moved out after the ceremonial display, Kumaranellur Desam commenced its ezhunnallippu with its own Panchavadyam ensemble and a line-up of eleven elephants. The idol of the deity was carried on the legendary elephant Puthuppally Kesavan, adding to the visual splendour of the event.

The Pooram rituals of Wadakkanchery Desam began with a ceremonial procession from the courtyard of the Karumarakkad Shiva Vishnu Temple, accompanied by traditional percussion. According to temple lore, the King of Cochin used to attend the Uthralikkavu Pooram, after which the Wadakkanchery Pooram procession began with a ceremonial escort. In remembrance of this tradition, the Wadakkanchery procession continues to be accompanied by an armed police escort even today.

By around 4.30 p.m., Wadakkanchery Desam staged a spectacular fireworks display, followed by Bhagavathy Pooram rituals, melam, kudamattam, and further ceremonial processions. The evening saw vibrant performances including Thayambaka, Kombu, and Nadaswaram recitals led by Enkakkad Desam at around 9 p.m., while devotional music, Thayambaka and percussion ensembles were also held at Karumarakkad temple as part of Wadakkanchery Desam’s programmes.

The night processions are scheduled to begin at midnight, with Enkakkad Desam at Uthralikkavu and Wadakkanchery Desam at Karumarakkad temple, followed by Kumaranellur Desam’s ezhunnallippu. The celebrations will conclude on Wednesday with Kumaranellur Desam’s fireworks at 4.30 a.m., Pandimelam at 6 a.m., and the grand Kootiyezhunnallippu at 8 a.m. The rituals will culminate with the traditional Pongalidi ceremony at 9 a.m., followed by ceremonial farewell honours and a final fireworks display.

As part of the festival, cultural programmes including Padayani, elephant caparison exhibitions, and various traditional art performances were also organised. Large crowds from different desams and neighbouring regions thronged the temple grounds and surrounding fields, turning the landscape into a sea of devotees, reaffirming Uthralikkavu Pooram’s enduring cultural and spiritual significance in Kerala’s temple festival calendar.