Aanayoottu

Aanayoottu in 2010 in Thrissur city

Genre Temple festival

Dates First day of the month of Karkkidakam (Malayalam calendar)

Location(s) Thrissur City, Kerala, India

Patron(s) Lord Ganesha

The Aanayoottu (feeding of elephants) is a festival held in the

precincts of the Vadakkunnathan temple in City of Thrissur, in Kerala.
The festival falls on the rst day of the month of Karkkidakam (timed
against the Malayalam calendar), which coincides with the month of
July. It involves a number of unadorned elephants being positioned
amid a multitude of people for being worshipped and fed. A large
number of people throng the temple to feed the elephants.

Every year of Aanayoottu, gaja pooja, is conducted. It is believed that

oering poojas and delicious feed to the elephants is a way to satisfy
Lord Ganeshathe god of wealth and of the fulllment of wishes. The
Vadakkunnathan temple, which is considered to be one of the oldest
Shiva temples in southern India, has hosted the Aanayottoo event for
the past few years.

Procedure

the number of elephants was reduced following

directives given by the district administration regarding
parading of elephants for temple festivals. Fifty
elephants had participated in the festival held in 2003.
Aanayoottu held at Ponnethkavu temple , The Hindu newspaper.
The special feed of the elephants includes sugar-cane leaves, coconut,
jaggery and the sweet mix of Ganapthi pooja prasadam. The feeding
session begins with an oering by the chief priest of the temple
usually to an elephant calf. The festival presently involves sixteen
elephants; the number was previously higher (around fty), but was
reduced following under direction of the district administration. During
the festival, the elephants are fed on rice, jaggery, ghee, pineapples,
and other local produce.

Signicance

The elephants are hailed as sacred animals (a fact which explains the
presence of elephants in the South Indian temples). Elephants are an
integral part of Kerala culture, and elephants are integral to all
festivals, including the Aanayoottu. Many of the famous south Indian
temples have a number of their own elephants; feeding these
elephants are considered as auspicious. Looking in to these devotes
feeling the temple authorities started these rejuvenation therapy as a
public event named as The Aanayoottoo Festival.

References

"Aanayoottu held at Ponnethkavu temple" . The Hindu. The Hindu

newspaper. 16 August 2005. Retrieved 28 May 2009.