KOCHI: The Maradu Kottaaram Bhagavathy Temple is gearing up to mark its annual festival with its showpiece fireworks. The temple management said the high court on Thursday granted permission for the fireworks, subject to it satisfying a number of conditions.Temple sources said Vadakke Cheruvaram and Thekke Cheruvaram, the two groups that conduct the fireworks, have been told to take insurance worth at least Rs5 crore each by the court.In addition, they have been told that the fireworks should be held at least 50 metres away from the ‘Vedippura’.Prohibiting public from coming within 50 metres of the ‘Vedippura’ and 100 metres away from the place, where the fireworks are held, are among the other directives issued by the court, the temple management said.The high court has also ordered the temple authorities to comply with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court, sources said. They have also been asked to comply with the high court’s earlier order. As per the earlier order, ‘paper gundu’, dynamites, and ‘amittu’ are not to be used. A total of 750 ‘kathina’ can be blasted over two days. Chinese ‘amittu’ and low-noise ‘amittu’ can be used, the court had ordered. The district collector should ensure that the directions of the court are complied with. An official should be entrusted to monitor the fireworks and necessary security arrangements should be put in place.Besides, the temple management has been asked to ensure that only a 20-member team conduct the fireworks. They should be provided with identity cards, barricades should be put up to ensure safety of the public, and only those related to the fireworks display should be allowed to enter the ‘Vedippura’.The ‘thalappoli’ and fireworks display by Vadakke Cheruvaram will be held on February 16 and that of Thekke Cheruvaram on February 17, said Indukaladharan, president, Maradu Kottaram Devaswom. The festival formally began on February 13. “I am yet to see the court order but I learn that it has mandated an insurance coverage of Rs 5 crore for which we have to take an insurance policy of Rs 21,000,” said Santoshkumar C, president of Vadakke Cheruvaram. healthy competition between the two ‘Cheruvarams’ (factions) in presenting traditional percussions like ‘Pandi Melam’ and ‘Panchavadyam’, parade of prestigious tuskers and the display of fireworks are the main highlights of the ‘thalapoli’.Though both the factions have licences for manufacturing and storage of crackers, only one faction is engaged in making small-scale crackers using palm leaves this year.Two workers engaged in manufacture of firecrackers had died in 2016 following an explosion in the manufacturing unit. The manufacturing units are not functioning ever since.Now the fireworks display is being executed by licenced groups having expertise in pyrotechnics, said an office bearer of Vadakke Cheruvaram.On February16, Vadakke Cheruvaram will present the festival procession, percussion ensemble and a mini fireworks display. On February 17, Thekke Cheruvaram will present a fitting reply for the performance of Vadakke Cheruvaram.

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