Many of the temples in Kerala have dropped plans to brighten up their festivals with fireworks in the backdrop of the deadly accident on a festival ground at Puttingal near Paravur on Sunday. Organisers who do not want to depart from the tradition have put in place tight safety measures to avoid any untoward incident.
Some of the temples have even decided to do away with the display of caparisoned tuskers as part of the festival.
The famed Thrissur Pooram will have no change in schedule but the decibel levels of the fireworks will be cut down. A review meeting chaired by District Collector V Ratheesan heeded popular demand that the fireworks were integral to the festival. Strict safety arrangements will be enforced for the fireworks though.
The Nenmara Vallangi Vela will also go on as planned. The festival organisers have requested the police to ensure that the crowds were kept at a safe distance when the fireworks started. The venue of the fireworks has shrunk over time, increasing the possibility of overcrowding.
The Thirumandham Kunnu Temple at Angadippuram near Perinthalmanna and the Manithookkam Medu Mahadeva Temple at Rajakumari in Idukki are a few of the temples that have done away with the fireworks this time. The Sree Krishna Swami Temple at Asramam in Kollam and the Pattazhi Devi Temple have also decided not to organise fireworks as part of their festivals.
The Kannur district administration denied permission for fireworks at the Annapoorneswari Temple at Cherukunnu as part of the Vishu festivities this week. The police have given directions to keep a tab on the fireworks at Keecheri Palottu Kavu and Azheekode Palottu Kavu.
Organisers at the Bhuvaneswari Temple at Kidangamparambu near Alappuzha have decided to drop both the fireworks and the elephant display as part of the festival. The Mahadeva Temple at Thiruvizha at Cherthala called off fireworks for the festival that kicked off on the day of the tragedy at Paravur. Even the customary fireworks for the “Arattu” on Wednesday have been done away with. The temple committee will be convened to take a decision on the main fireworks.
The cart festival at the Seetharamaswami Temple at Pushpagiri at Poonkunnam near Thrissur will culminate without the traditional firework display. Fireworks have also been dropped for the Kodikkatt Vela at Vadakkanchery near Palakkad and the Kummatti at the Bhagavathi Temple at Mundoor near Palakkad.
The Pattupurakkavu Temple at Kakkanad and the Rajarajeswari Devi Temple at Palarivattom have also decided against fireworks.
The Madappally Bhagavati Temple at Changanassery, which had cut down the number of elephants to just one five years ago, has also dropped fireworks from the festival schedule. The festival committee has decided to spend the money on development and welfare activities.
The Mahadeva Temple at Vazhappalli has abandoned plans for fireworks scheduled for Wednesday. The nearby Annapoorneswari Temple management has also decided to for a cracker-free festival later this week.
The Mahadeva Temple at Kadhinamkulam near Kazhakkoottam has dropped the fireworks scheduled for Wednesday. The temple management has decided to end the practice of elephant display from next year.
The Devi Temple at Chottanikkara will not conduct the fireworks display as part of the Vishu festivities, dewaswom assistant commissioner E K Manoj said. The Maniyathrukkal Temple at Thaikkattussery near Cherthala will also drop fireworks for the Uthram festival.
The ripples of the Paravur tragedy have spread far and wide. In Bengaluru, the Thigala community has decided to cancel the fireworks planned in connection with the Karaga Festival in the Dharmaraya Swami Temple from April 14 to 22.
The Marta Mariam Forane Church at Kuravilangad had stopped the annual fireworks from last year and planned to use the funds for medical treatment for the poor.
