KOCHI: Atham marks the beginning of the 10-day Onam festivities in Kerala. The celebrations start with ‘Athachamayam’ the grand procession held at Tripunithura showcasing the cultural heritage of the princely state of Kochi. 

The king used to lead a grand procession accompanied by caparisoned elephants, floats, musical ensembles and a variety of folk arts to the Tripunithura fort.

However, the royal corridor of Tripunithura wore a deserted look on Saturday as the government decided to avoid festivities in the wake of the Covid outbreak. The festivities marking the arrival of Onam turned out to be a low-key affair as the rituals were limited to the hoisting of the festival flag by M Swaraj, MLA. 

The festival flag was handed over to the organising committee by Kochi royal family representative S Anujan Thampuran.

ASLO READ | COVID-19 robs Onam of its sheen this time Kerala

Meanwhile the 10-day Onam festival started at Thrikkakara Vamanamurthy temple with priest Pothopurath Illath Srikanth Namboothiri hoisting the festival flag at 7.30pm on Saturday. The temple will allow devotees for prayers during the festival days adhering to Covid protocol. 

Only five people will be allowed inside the temple at a time. The festival will end with Arattu on August 31, the Thiruvonam day. 

Though the temple used to parade nine elephants for Arattu in the previous years, there will not be any elephant parade this time. Only important rituals will be performed.

Meanwhile, flower merchants complained that the restrictions on bringing flowers had affected their livelihood. The flower market in Kerala has an annual turnover of `2000 crore and thousands of families are dependent on the profession. 

“Onam season offers a major market for flowers in Kerala. Though we have received thousands of orders we are not able to deliver flowers due to the restrictions imposed by the government on bringing flowers from other states. Loads of vegetables, eggs and chicken are brought to the state through the checkposts, but the authorities are not allowing us to bring flowers which has affected our livelihood,” said Kerala Flower Merchants Association president V J Thomas.