COVID-19: UAE-based artist creates replica of Kerala's famous Thrissur Pooram festival

COVID-19: UAE-based artist creates replica of Kerala's famous Thrissur Pooram festival

The grand festival of Kerala, Thrissur Pooram will not be celebrated this year on May 03 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

But, the festive fervour came alive in a forex sheet after an ardent Pooram lover chose to recreate it using his artistic talent.

Sunil Kumar from Chittilappilly, who works as a creative designer at a private firm in UAE's Sharjah, every year comes to Kerala on leave to attend Thrissur Pooram.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "This time too I reached Thrissur adjusting my leaves prior to the lockdown and was planning to return after attending Thrissur Pooram.

That is when the Pooram was cancelled due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

So using the time, I created the Pooram replica on a forex sheet." One of the most popular rituals connected with the festival is the starting of Pooram with an elephant opening the south door of Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple accompanied by the sound of temple percussion instruments and cheers from the crowd.

"I always wanted to do a model of this scene of elephant entry.

But, as we are currently in lockdown, I used the time to recreate the scene," he added.

Thrissur Pooram, one of the biggest festivals of Kerala known for its parading of elephants, Panchavadyam (percussion ensemble) and mega display of fireworks, was cancelled due to the lockdown.

There are total 496 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kerala.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 active cases rose to 24,162 with 1075 deaths in India.