Thrissur Pooram in limbo, final decision today

THRISSUR: The conduct of the famed Pooram festival of Thrissur is in limbo amid the surge in COVID-19 pandemic and a final decision is expected ater a meeting called by Chief Secretary VP Joy of the stakeholders on Monday.

The meeting called by the top bureaucrat on Sunday remained inconclusive. The Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devaswoms (the temple managements organising the annual fest) demanded that RT-PCR tests should not be made mandatory for mahouts atending the Pooram.

The organisers also demanded that those who have taken only one shot of the COVID vaccine should also be allowed to atend the fest.

The Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devswoms had informed the district collector during a meeting that it is impossible to conduct the Pooram amid tight restrictions. Reacting to the demands, the district Collector said that a decision will be taken at Monday’s meeting.

Following uncertainty, allegations are flying in all directions regarding atempts to torpedo the ‘Festival of all Festivals’.

Paramekkavu Devaswom on Sunday alleged that there was an atempt to undermine the Pooram festival. The criteria being proposed by the government were impractical, Devaswom secretary G Rajesh said. In the previous editions of Thrissur Pooram, Devaswoms had funded the food and other expenses of the police personnel who were deployed in festival ground.

This should be borne by the government, organisers say. Also the expenses for placing barricades at the Thekkinkadu Maidan should be taken up by the government, they said.

The state authorities stated that only those who have received two doses of the vaccine against the fast-spreading Coronavirus will be allowed to atend the famed annual event.

The government has withdrawn the earlier order that stated only one dose of the vaccine would suffice. State government issued a new order on Saturday amending the condition.

However, those who have not received two doses of the vaccine will have to carry a COVID-19 negative certificate obtained ater conducting the RT-PCR test.