My Visual Stories
അളവില്ലാത്ത ആനന്ദമാണ് തൃശൂർപൂരം.
ചിലർ മേളങ്ങൾക്ക് പിറകെ. മറ്റു ചിലർ ആനകൾക്ക് പിറകെ.
വെടിക്കെട്ടിനെ പ്രണയിക്കുന്നവർ, ഒറ്റയ്ക്ക് അലഞ്ഞു
ആനന്ദം നേടുന്നവർ. മനസ്സ് പൂരത്തിലേക്കു ഇഴചേർത്ത
ലക്ഷങ്ങൾ പൂരദിനത്തിൽ വടക്കുംനാഥനിലേക്ക്
വഴികൾ തേടുന്നു.
My Visual Stories
അളവില്ലാത്ത ആനന്ദമാണ് തൃശൂർപൂരം.
ചിലർ മേളങ്ങൾക്ക് പിറകെ. മറ്റു ചിലർ ആനകൾക്ക് പിറകെ.
വെടിക്കെട്ടിനെ പ്രണയിക്കുന്നവർ, ഒറ്റയ്ക്ക് അലഞ്ഞു
ആനന്ദം നേടുന്നവർ. മനസ്സ് പൂരത്തിലേക്കു ഇഴചേർത്ത
ലക്ഷങ്ങൾ പൂരദിനത്തിൽ വടക്കുംനാഥനിലേക്ക്
വഴികൾ തേടുന്നു.
Vadakkunnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at city of Thrissur, of Kerala state in India. This temple is a classic example of the architectural style of Kerala and has monumental towers on all four sides and also a Koothambalam. Mural paintings depicting various episodes from Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple.
The shrines and the Kuttambalam display vignettes carved in wood. The temple, along with the mural paintings, has been declared as a National Monument by India under the AMASR Act. According to popular local lore, this is the first temple built by Parasurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu. Thekkinkadu maidan, encircling the Vadakkunnathan Temple, is the main venue of the Thrissur Pooram.
In the year 2012 the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recommended 14 sites, including Vadakkumnathan Temple and palaces, from Kerala to include in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
My Thrishivaperoor Sketches
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( The name Thrissur is a shortened form of Thiru-Shiva-Per-Ur (Lord-Shiva-Name-Town) literally translates to ‘The City or Town with the name of the “Lord Shiva”‘. The name owes itself to the most prominent feature of the city, that is the Vadakkumnathan Temple, which has Shiva as its presiding deity.
Alternately, Thri-Shiva-Perur (Three-Shiva-Palace) means the place with three famous Shiva temples which are said to be – the Vadakkumnathan Temple, Kottapuram Shiva temple and the Poonkunnam Siva Temple. Thrissur was also known as “Vrishabhadripuram” (Kailasam of the South) in ancient days. The city hosts the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala)
Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple, Vadakkancherry, District: Thrissur
Uthralikkavu temple is some two kilometres north of Wadackanchery on the Kodungallore-Shoranur state highway. Just aside the Thrissur – Shoranur Railway line, amidst the paddy fields and surrounded by a chain of highlands and hills, the temple compound forms a rather arena-like stage where the Pooram and its associated features such as elephant procession, fireworks, percussion orchestra etc. would be held. Despite the fact that the temple is rather small in size compared to its counterparts in Kerala and that it is located at an isolated rural part of the district, during the festival season, the temple and the village raises to media attraction and news fame.
Elephant processions, big or small are always awe inspiring. The very sight of decked up pachyderms in the light of lamps is a sight to behold. About twenty elephants, adorning colourful parasols; swaying venchamarams (white tufts) and alavattams (peacock-feather fans); the annual festival at the Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple, popularly known as Uthralikavu Pooram is an event not to be missed.
An eight-day celebration highlighted by day and night elephant processions, the Uthralikavu Pooram is the most famous of events in the region. Traditional musical ensembles like the panchavadyam and the pandimelam add rhythm to these processions. The Sree Ruthira Mahakalikavu Temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali.
The cultural fare during the festival includes temple and folk art performances which provide magical spectacles to the viewers. The colorful events along with rituals and folk art performances in the evenings cast a spell to everyone. The glow of the traditional temple torches called Theevatti provides startling view. The festivities end with the spectacular all-night pooram pageant on the last day, the highlight of the festival. The pageant and festivities lasts until dawn and draws to a close with brilliant fireworks.
Sketching and drawing is for me the best way to remember where I’ve been on my trips and the memories of place and time will always rush back when I see an old sketch….These sketches are my try to record my home town as sketches….There I used only Rotring Pen. I leave you here some of my views of Thrissur….
Something about Thrissur…..
Thrissur pronunciation originally Thirusivapperoor and previously known by its anglicised form as Trichur, is the fourth largest city, the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala and the 20th largest in India. The City is built around a 65-acre hillock called the Thekkinkadu Maidan which seats the Vadakkumnathan temple. Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin. The city hosts the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala.The festival is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidan in April or May.Thrissur has a large number of well-known temples including theVadakkumnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple and Paramekkavu temple.
Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual and religious leanings throughout history. It contains the Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Kerala Sahitya Academy.
Thrissur has historically been a center of Hindu scholarship. The city has one of the most important temples of Hindu Shaivism, that is the Vadakunnathan temple. The district is also home of one of the most holiest Hindu Vaishnava temples, the Guruvayur temple. Christianity, Islam and Judaism entered into the Indian subcontinentthrough the Thrissur District. The works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings claim Thomas the Apostle to have set foot in Muziris near Thrissur 2,000 years ago. (AD 51–52). The country’s first mosque, Cheraman Juma Masjid, opened in AD629.
The city has served as an incubator for many Malayali entrepreneurs and is a major financial and commercial hub of Kerala. It flexes its economic muscle in India as the headquarters of three major scheduled banks, South Indian Bank Ltd, Catholic Syrian Bank and Dhanalakshmi Bank Ltd and a clutch of Chit funds. The city is also a big centre for shopping in Kerala for silks and gold jewellery. Thrissur attracts the largest number of domestic tourists in Kerala. Apart from being the cultural nerve centre of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions including the Kerala Kalamandalam, Jawahar Bal Bhavan Thrissur, Kerala Police Academy, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala University of Medical and Allied Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala Institute of Local Administration.
Tribal & Mural Sketches on Kettuvalloms of Kayaloram
Kayaloram House boats are country boats that were used in the early days for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages to the townships. With the advent of roads, bridges and ferry services, gradually the Kettuvalloms went off the scene. Now these kettuvalloms are back again as a major tourist attraction. A ride on a Kettuvallom is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters of Thrissur.
Kayaloram House boats, Manalur near to famous Guruvayur Temple (7kms) is the first to introduce Kettuvalloms in Thrissur.
Kolaash Art Stay was invited to sketch their house boats last month. After two times discussion with management (Mr. Bose & Mr. Rejees), we proudly started sketching boats with the tribal and mural method. My guru Krishnakumar Kalarikkal led the team. Mr. Alesh and Dr.Raakesh included in the team besides me. The people that we met there, the management and staff were friendly, soulful and smart. All local residents where very friendly, looking at what we were doing, some of them even asked us to draw them.
In some respects I like sketching even more than photoshoping. In those days i hate the mouse and loved the brush. The medium used to paint; the acrylics. Diversity in colors, specially warm colors is wonderful and we may experience changing in colors spontaneously. Lots of visitors including some foreigners stop to take pictures and appreciated our job. It was really special days of sketching and interacting. Some colorful moments….
stay with art…
Rijesh Rajan Design Thoughts 