‘Athachamayam’ Festivities held at Tripunithura

Ottam Thullal artists and tableaux galore at the Atham Ghosha yatra in Tripunithura on Saturday. Atham celebrations formally launch the Onam celebrations in Kerala. Photo:Thulasi Kakkat

Heralding the start of the 10 day ’Onam’ festivities in Kerala, ‘Athachamayam’ was held at nearby Tripunithura, capital of the erstwhile Royal kingdom of Kochi.

Spectacular procession accompanied by caprisoned elephants, floats, group of dancers and musicians marked the chamayam procession in which about 5000 artists participated.

Kerala Health Minister, P K Sreemathy, inaugurated the festivities this morning.

Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi, was among those who participated.

Earlier, during the Royal reign, the Kochi maharaja used to participate in the procession march from Tripunithura to the Vamanamoorthy temple at Thrikakkara.