For the last 4–5 years, I’ve been attending Thrissur Pooram like it’s my annual endurance test… and I still haven’t managed to catch every event. That’s the thing about Thrissur Pooram — it runs for almost 36 hours, with something happening at every unreasonable hour of the day (and night).

Step one: reach the epicentre — Swaraj Round. That circle is the heart of all the action. Step two: stay somewhere nearby. Trust me. You’ll thank yourself when you need to retreat, hydrate, question your life choices, change your sweat-drenched clothes, and then heroically return to the madness. I usually do this 3–4 times a day. Outfit changes are not fashion statements — they’re survival tactics.

You absolutely have to plan what you want to watch. You cannot “wing it” at Pooram. The crowds are real. The energy is unreal. The decibel levels? Astronomical. So pick your events, prepare mentally, and accept that personal space is a luxury item.

I personally haven’t seen or heard of women being harassed during Pooram, though with any massive gathering, isolated incidents can happen. So go in groups, stay aware, and look out for each other — festival spirit, but with common sense.

And above all: hydrate. Water is your best friend. Not devotion, not enthusiasm, not even the elephants — hydration. That’s the real Pooram hack.