Thrissur Pooram is the largest Hindu festival in the state, usually seeing lakhs of devotees flocking to witness religious rites and festivities. Last year, due to the national lockdown it was held symbolically without gatherings of people but this year Opposition groups such as the BJP and Congress have raised concerns against cancelling it while scientific organisations appeal for it to not be held in its entirety.

"Many preparations have been made for the festival, so it is not possible to cancel it entirely. It will cause many problems. Clear instructions have been given to conduct it with caution which the Devaswom committee has been agreed to. Even those who test negative should still wear masks, apply sanitisers and keep as much distance as possible from each other,” said the Health Minister, KK Shailaja.

Children and pregnant women have been barred from attending the festivities. The annual festival celebrated at the Vadakkunathan temple in central Thrissur is the biggest Hindu festival in Kerala, in terms of CVthe number of people who attend. Normally, around two million people attend every year.

On the same day when Shailaja said the Thrissur Pooram festival cannot be cancelled, the Kerala government asked the Centre for 50 lakh vaccine doses as cases in the state continues to rise.

https://thewire.in/government/kk-shailaja-kerala-thrissur-pooram