The Kerala High Court on Friday adjourned to Wednesday a petition seeking permission to parade 15 elephants during the ‘Vrischikotsavam’ at the Thripunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple, following guidelines that mandate a three-metre distance between elephants during festival parades.

The petitioners, P.B. Gireesh and P.S. Shoben, sought a directive to the secretary of Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB) to ensure that all rituals, including the ‘Ezhunnallippu’ (elephant parade), were conducted during the ‘Vrischikotsavam,’ which began on Friday. The Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice S. Muralee Krishna adjourned the matter for further hearing.

The petitioners argued that parading 15 elephants during the festival was an ancient custom and that 14 gold caparisons from the Poornathrayeesa Temple were sold to fund the Shoranur-Kochi railway line in 1902. This demonstrated the long-standing tradition of parading 15 elephants, they said.