Kerala festival to come alive at Thane Elephant fest a bridge to facilitate cultural exchange between Maharashtra and Kerala

Kerala festival to come alive at Thane

Elephant fest a bridge to facilitate cultural exchange between Maharashtra and Kerala

Though the Thrissur Pooram, to held in Dombivli, will 500 musicians and other artists and five elephants from Kerala, it won't have the elephants that are an important part of the festival

One of Kerala's most spectacular festivals, the Thrissur Pooram, will be replicated next month in the city. But since elephants that are an important part of the festivals cannot be brought to Mumbai, the event will be held in Dombivli, Thane.
The event will be held on November 11, 12 and 13.
The event in Thrissur involves over 10 temples, hundreds of musicians and over 50 bedecked elephants. The elaborate head ornaments and colourful parasols on the elephants are among the festival's features. The organisers of the local event are bringing 500 musicians and other artists and five elephants from Kerala.
The original idea was to organise the festival in the city but the injunction against bringing elephants to Mumbai meant that they had to settle for Thane.
Bhupesh Babu of Mumbai Pooram Foundation said the event will showcase the culture of Kerala and Maharashtra. Young people will be able to hear traditional music like Panchavadhyam, Melam, Kudamaattam and 35 other traditional art forms of Kerala.
A similar festival was organised in 2004 but it failed to take off as an annual event.
"We lost a lot of money and could not organise it next year. This time we are better prepared and organised," said Babu.
Babu said the event will be a bridge to facilitate cultural exchange between Maharashtra and Kerala. Besides art forms from Kerala, the festival will display cultural traditions of god's own country. A food festival, fireworks and exhibitions will be part of the event.