The Thrissur Pooram festival is held annually in Kerala at which temple?

The Thrissur Pooram is held every year at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in the city of Thrissur, Kerala, on the day of the Pooram star in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May). It is the most famous temple festival of Kerala and is often called the "mother of all poorams".

The Thrissur Pooram was started in the late 18th century by Raja Rama Varma, known as Sakthan Thampuran, the ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin. Before that, the temples around Thrissur took part in the Arattupuzha Pooram, but after they were once prevented from taking part because of heavy rain, Sakthan Thampuran organised a new festival at Thrissur and invited the temples of the area to come to the Vadakkunnathan Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The festival is a friendly competition between two groups of temples, led by the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady temples, each of which tries to outdo the other in the grandeur of its display. The main attractions are:

The procession of about 30 caparisoned elephants, wearing golden ornaments (nettipattam), with people sitting on them holding colourful parasols, whisks (venchamaram) and peacock-feather fans (aalavattom).

The Kudamattam, a spectacular exchange of brightly coloured and decorated parasols on the elephants by the two groups, which competes for the crowd's applause.

The Ilanjithara Melam, a performance of traditional percussion by hundreds of artists playing the chenda, kombu, kuzhal and elathalam under the Ilanji tree in the temple.

The grand fireworks display in the early hours of the next morning.

The festival attracts lakhs of people from across India and abroad.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Padmanabhaswamy Temple is in Thiruvananthapuram, famous for its treasure vaults.
• ✗Guruvayur Temple is the famous Krishna temple in Thrissur district.
• ✗Sabarimala Temple is the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa, famous for the Makaravilakku.