Kerala festivals – "Nercha"

“Nercha” is celebrated annually in some mosques of Kerala usually in the name of a saint lived in that area. The celebration includes different teams from the nearer area will arrive the mosque accompanied with ornately decorated elephants, music bands and different art forms like Kolkali, Aravana muttu, Muttum viliyum etc. Flag hoisting will take place at noon when all teams will reach the mosque.

Feeding the poor people in the Mosque is the most important thing on Nercha.

The celebrations will carry on till late night. In most places orchestra and other entertainment programmes would be there at night.

Kerala festivals – "Pooram"

“Pooram” is an annual temple festival of Kerala held in summer season. The main attraction of the festival is ornately decorated elephants and musical ensembles like Panchavadyam, Pandi melam, Thayambaka etc.

On the “pooram” day different groups with ornately decorated elephants(one or more than one. Sometimes more than 10) accompanied with musical ensembles and other art forms from the nearer areas of the temple will arrive at the temple ground. The different groups will meet together at the temple around 3.00 pm.

All the elephants standing in line is an amazing spectacle for the viewers.

One session of the celebrations will carry on till the fireworks. Fireworks will take place between 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm. That is depends upon the number of teams conducting the fireworks. Sometimes there would be upto 10 sessions of fireworks.

In the late night there would be cultural programmes like Drama, Kathakali, Orchestra etc. After that the repetition of the day programmes like elephants, musical resembles, fireworks etc would be there till the morning.

There some poorams and temple festivals without the parade of elephants.

These are the general things…..
A lot more to write about pooram…..

A folk art performed by a certain community during pooram.