Thrissur Pooram to be celebrated in Kerala on Sunday

September 28th, 2009 CHERPU - Hundreds of children in Kerala were initiated to the formal learning of alphabets in a ceremonial way on Vijayadashami that was celebrated on Monday. To mark this occasion, considered as auspicious particularly by Hindus, elders took their kids to the local temples where they were made to etch the first ever alphabets on grains of rice or sand and thus usher the children to the world of academics.

September 2nd, 2009 THRISSUR - A glittering floral pattern made of gold, pearls and precious stones has specially been designed to celebrate the harvest festival Onam at Thrissur in on Wednesday. A well-known jewellery group, Jos Alukkas creates such floral pattern every year, though with some innovation in Kerala.

July 31st, 2009 THRISSUR - Kerala-based South Indian Bank (SIB) is close to signing a partnership agreement with a major commercial bank in Qatar, a senior SIB official said Friday. Talks on the agreement are fast progressing and the deal would be announced shortly, the official told IANS on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

July 18th, 2009 THRISSUR - Elephants in Thrissur in Kerala, start the monsoon month with long rejuvenation therapy during which they are kept away from hard labour and fed with ayurvedic concoctions for their good health and well-being. Amidst a downpour, hundreds of people gathered at the Vadakkunathan Temple at Thrissur, on Friday and fed around 45 elephants with 'ladoos', sweet, made of rice and jaggery, and offered prayers.

July 17th, 2009 THRISSUR - Elephants are surely being pampered in Kerala. While nearly 65 of them will go for a month long rejuvenation programme at the Guruvayoor temple, Thrissur town Friday had a special prayer for the elephants attended by thousands of devotees.

May 4th, 2009 THRISSUR - Hundreds of thousands of devotees gathered at Thrissur town in Kerala for Thrissur Pooram, one of the most colourful and grandest temple festivals. The festival witnesses 30 richly caparisoned elephants divided into two rival groups facing each other in the temple premises amidst drum beats and frenzied shouting of devotees.

May 3rd, 2009 THRISSUR - One of Asia's foremost elephant experts Jacob Cheeran has completed his fourth book on elephants, the first in Malayalam on the subject, which he says highlights 'lesser known things about a better known animal'. Cheeran said that his latest book which runs into nearly 300 pages talks about several unusual things about elephants.

May 1st, 2009 THRISSUR - The final arrangements for the Thrissur Pooram, the most colourful temple festival of Kerala, were in full swing here Friday with police tightening security and artistes practising their routines to ensure a dazzling display of sound and colour for the spectators Sunday. The Thrissur Pooram, celebrated in the Malayalam month of Medom (April-May), is a grand assembly of gods and goddesses from various villages and towns in and around Thrissur town.

April 12th, 2009 KOTTAYAM - Christians across Kerala celebrated Easter Sunday by attending church early in the morning and ending the period of Lent with a sumptuous traditional breakfast. Churches serve a piece of cake made of egg and milk to end the 40-day Lent period, during which most people forgo non-vegetarian food.

April 5th, 2009 PALAKKAD - Nenmara Vallangi Vela, is one of the grandest temple festivals of Kerala, which also described as being second only to the famous annual temple festival Thrissur Pooram. Nenmara Vallangi Vela is an annual temple festival celebrated in the district of Palakkad in Kerala.

March 30th, 2009 THRISSUR - Oracles from across Kerala gathered here to celebrate the Bharani festival, which is held during the month of Meenam (March-April). At this annual meeting, devotees sing vulgar songs in the Kodungalloor Bhagvathy temple, as they believe it pleases the goddess.

February 14th, 2009 MARAMON - The Maramon convention, which is billed as the largest congregation of Christians in Asia, organised by Syrian Mar Thoma church of Kerala opened here Sunday. The 114th Maramon convention was inaugurated by the head of Mar Thoma church, Joseph Marthoma Metropolitan.

February 11th, 2009 KALLOOPPARA - The police here have taken into custody Josekutty, the only son of former Kerala speaker T.S. John, for his suspected involvement in the murder of his mother Wednesday night.

February 8th, 2009 THRISSUR - Kerala-based private lender South Indian Bank (SIB) will honour five 'globally acclaimed' Keralites for their life-time contributions to various fields, it was announced Monday. K.M. Cherian (heart surgeon), Adoor Gopalakrishnan (film maker), Verghese Kurien (architect of India's white revolution), K.J.

January 14th, 2009 TRISSUR - The IT park coming up in this Kerala town is expected to provide employment opportunities to 5,000 people, state Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said here Thursday, while handing over possession of the land to the IT department.