The traditional Atham pageantry organised by the Thripunithura municipality in Ernakulam, Kerala, heralding the onset of Onam celebrations painted the streets of the temple town in vivid colours as thousands, undaunted by sporadic showers, lined up along the route of the procession that lasted over four hours on Friday (September 6, 2024)
Enthusiastic spectators from far and wide started flocking to Thripunithura long before Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer inaugurated the Atham festivities by unfurling the festival flag around 10.30 a.m. In his inaugural speech, Mr. Shamseer urged the people to preserve the culture of unity and love by defeating the divisive and communal forces.
Shortly thereafter, the procession trooped out of the Thripunithura Government Boys’ High School after elaborate preparations by participating artistes lasting hours. The Atham procession proved to be a microcosm of the various art forms, both known and little-known, from across Kerala.
Colourful ‘ammankudas’ could be seen from a distance, while stocky men and even children with their bodies spotting tiger faces painted in myriad colours performed the customary Pulikkali.
Pulikkali artistes perform during ‘Athachamayam’ procession marking the start of annual harvest festival of Onam at Thripunithura, near Kochi, in Ernakulam district of Kerala on September 6, 2024. | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Elaborate costumes
The procession featured artistes dressed up in the elaborate costumes of traditional arts such as Theyyam, Kathakali and Padayani, while Chendamelam, Panchavadyam and the new-age percussion and band teams provided the high-decibel musical backdrop. The procession was peppered with countless ‘Mavelis’ dressed up like the legendary demon king complete with gold-coloured crowns and ornaments. Though few, women Mavelis had the curiosity quotient in their favour.
Traditional agrarian art forms such as ’Kalakali’ that had the performers swinging a wooden plank affixed with the figurine of a bull being led by a whip-wielding farmer back and forth to the accompaniment of songs had the new generation enthralled.
Notwithstanding the debate over whether or not to conduct the Atham procession in the wake of the Wayanad landslides, the municipality executive committee eventually decided to hold it and the Kerala government gave its approval.
“The procession offered one of the few opportunities for many artistes and we did not want to take that away. Also, whatever is left in the funds mobilised for the procession will be contributed to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF),” said municipal chairperson Rema Santhosh.
It was a decision validated by the father-daughter duo of Biswas K.S. and his 15-year-old daughter Dhaksha, residents of Thripunithura, who enjoyed every bit of the procession. “What’s the point in giving up celebrations for the departed ones when there is no guarantee about one’s own life and how many more celebrations one may last,” reasoned Biswas even as he kept taking photographs of the procession and shared it over WhatsApp groups.
The Kerala Cartoon Academy lined up caricature artists for drawing caricatures of people in five minutes, the proceeds from which were to be contributed to CMDRF.
The procession circled the town and returned to the school around 2.30 p.m. There were 59 floats and 8 tableaux, said U.K. Peethambharan, convenor, Atham procession.
Published - September 06, 2024 04:24 pm IST
