"On the last day of 2025, the historic port city of Thiruvananthapuram celebrated its iconic New Year's ritual, the ceremonial burning of a giant 'Pappanji' effigy. Footage from Wednesday shows attendees celebrating and dancing the moment as the clock struck midnight, the Pappanji, crafted from bamboo, hay, and cloth, often exceeding 40 feet in height - being set ablaze, witnessed by thousands of cheering revellers. This dramatic spectacle, held at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, symbolises the cleansing of the previous year's sorrows and the spirited welcome of new beginnings. Sathish Kumar, business development manager at the arts and crafts village, said, "Normally in Thiruvananthapuram, there was no burning of papanji. It is happening in the city of Kochi. But in 2026, we brought Papanji in Thiruvananthapuram." He further explained, "This is like burning out all our sadness and evil things and entering after purifying. We know that Agni [fire] is the element of purifying. So that is like an 'agni pariksha' [fire test] that we made." The origins of the Pappanji, a traditional effigy representing an old man, are believed to date back to the Portuguese occupation of Fort Kochi and are often mistakenly associated with the burning of Santa Claus. It is the centrepiece of the annual Cochin Carnival and occurs at midnight on December 31. The burning rituals were accompanied by vibrant music and fireworks, marking the arrival of the new year."