Thiruvananthapuram, April 24 -- The Thrissur Pooram this year, scheduled on Sunday, will be held without fireworks and by significantly scaling down the 'kudamattam' (exchange of parasols) ceremony following the explosion at a fireworks unit in Mundathikode that killed 10 people, officials said on Thursday.

The decision was taken at a meeting attended by government representatives including Devaswom minister VN Vasavan, Union minister of state and Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi and representatives of the two temple devaswoms of Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady.

The move to scale down the festivities is aimed at respecting public sentiments and chiefly those of the families of the 10 persons who were killed while assembling explosives for the 'samp...