Two major temple boards in Kerala have challenged the Kerala High Court’s restrictions on elephant parades during the Thrissur Pooram festival, arguing that these impractical measures threaten the event’s traditional essence. They claim the High Court overstepped its jurisdiction by declaring elephant use is not essential to religion, asserting that it is vital to their cultural identity and heritage.
Kerala: Two major temple boards in Kerala, Thiruvambady Devaswom and Paramekkavu Devaswom, have approached the Supreme Court challenging the Kerala High Court’s festival-centric directives. These directives, particularly those involving elephants, could significantly impact the renowned Thrissur Pooram festival, which has been celebrated for over two centuries.
The temple boards are questioning the Kerala High Court’s orders, which imposed strict restrictions on elephant parades during festivals like Thrissur Pooram. The High Court mandated:
- A minimum distance of three metres between elephants in the parade.
- A five-metre gap between elephants and flambeaus or other fire sources.
- An eight-metre distance between elephants and the public or percussion ensembles.
The boards argue that these restrictions are impractical and threaten the festival’s traditional essence.
According to the temple boards, the Sri Vadakkumnathan Temple grounds, a historic venue and UNESCO-recognized tradition, cannot accommodate the spatial constraints. The petition states:
“This venue, with its traditional layout, has been the epicenter of the Pooram for centuries, and the direction by the Hon’ble High Court disregards the significance of the historic and Unesco-recognised tradition.”
The petitioners emphasized that they had adhered to the High Court’s earlier directives but found the restrictions vague, broad, and disruptive to planning.
The Kerala High Court had earlier remarked that no religion mandates the use of elephants in festivals as an “essential religious practice.” This observation has been strongly contested by the temple boards.
They argue that the use of elephants in Thrissur Pooram is an intrinsic part of their religious tradition and cultural identity. The petition claims the High Court overstepped its jurisdiction and ignored the principle of separation of powers by undermining these longstanding traditions.
Thrissur Pooram draws a massive crowd of over 5 lakh people annually. The boards contend that maintaining exact distances between elephants and enforcing crowd control measures would be nearly impossible at such a large-scale event.
The High Court passed two critical orders, on November 13 and November 28, emphasizing safety measures during elephant parades. However, the temple boards believe these directives, if implemented, would bring the festival to a “grinding halt.”
Union of culture and safety is at the heart of this debate. While the Kerala High Court stresses public safety and animal welfare, the temple boards insist on preserving the historic and religious significance of Thrissur Pooram. The Supreme Court’s decision will likely shape the future of this iconic festival and its centuries-old traditions.
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