The famous Vrishchikolsavam festival is to take place soon at Sree Poornathrayeesa temple in Thripunithura, Kochi and the traditional Seeveli marks the opening of the 8 day temple festival. As part of this ritual participation of a large number of elephants is a must. The deity Thrayee signifies Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas - the God of the Three Vedas, hence the deity in the temple is known as Thrayeesha. Participation of elephants is part of the worship protocol of this temple.
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| Seeveli at Thripunithura temple thehindu.com |
Beginning on December 2 to December 8, 2021 the 8-day festival ends on the Thiruvonam nakshatra day in Vrischikam month. Also known as Anguradi festival,the main event is Ezhunnallippu (procession of the utsava murti of the temple atop than elephant). Caparisoned elephants (Number varies) accompany the deity with Panchari Melam and the ritual lasts a few hours.
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| Thripunithura,, Kerala sreepoornathrayeesatemple.org |
Above image: The main deity in Srikovil/ sanctum is Maha Vishnu (Santhana Gopala) in rare sitting posture. Never have I seen a Sri Vishnu temple in states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Karnataka with Sri Vishnu in the sitting posture .Sepent Adisheha with this 5- headed hood fom the cover for the lord over his head...........
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| Sree Poornathrayeesa temple in Thripunithura, keralatourism.org |
The crux of the matter is the decision by the authorities to permit 11 elephants to be paraded at the temple in Thripunithura, has shaken the hornet's nest with objections being raised by a member of the Elephant Monitoring Committee. The decision was in violation of guidelines issued by the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court, according to a member of the committee who alerted the Ernakulum Collector. The arbitrary decision taken over participation of elephants is tantamount to contempt of court.
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| Location map, Thripunithura, Kerala wikimapia.org |
On Nov. 22 the district administration made a decision not to increase the number of elephants to be paraded in the festival. ''The High Court and the Supreme Court had made it clear that ''the district Elephant Monitoring Committee was the sole agency which could decide on all matters related to parading of elephants.'' The collector by issuing permission for parading 11 elements has run into rough weather and is being criticized for violating the court decision. His decision. the collector said, was within the purview of duties entrusted by the Monitoring committee.
The Thripunithura temple had permission to parade 15 elephants for the temple rituals, but only the administration allowed 7 elephants. The temple authorities made a request to allow 15 citing customary practice. Finally only 11 elephants were allowed to be participated in the festival as the COVID threat is yet to come down in Kerala and the now the medical officials are getting ready to deal with the new threat of Omicron.
During last year Vrischikolsavam festival from 14 to 22 November 2020 only three elephants were paraded and it was mentioned that the assistant conservator of forests (ACF) failed to enforce the order. Tripunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple Advisory Committee got into hot water for alleged violation of restrictions on elephant parade. With respect to District Collector's action he had accorded sanction to parade elephants under the Disaster Management Act. The forest department can register an FIR only in case of violation of captive elephant rules. That time Kerala government followed the COVID -19 restrictions protocol.
In this famous temple where the presiding deity is Sri Vishnu is seen in a sitting posture with serpent Adisheha forming the cover for the lord with his hood. The God is fond of elephants, participation of a large number of elephants for Seevali ritual has been in vogue for decades. Only in the last two years, the festivities and participants in the temple function are very much restricted as a precaution against COVID -19.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/permission-to-parade-11-elephants-at-temple-fest-kicks-up-a-row/article37796476.ece
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