Aanayootto Festival in Kerala is held on the first day of the month of Karkkidakam. This coincides with the month of July. Elephants are an integral part of South Indian society. In fact, the elephants are hailed as sacred animals, which justifies the almost mandatory presence of elephants in the South Indian temples. For example, the Aanayoottu Festival is celebrated in the precincts of the Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur, Kerala.
Every year of Aanayoottu, gaja pooja, is conducted. It is believed that offering poojas and delicious feed to the elephants is a way to satisfy Lord Ganesha—the god of wealth and of the fulfillment 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.
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 offering by the chief priest of the temple—usually to an elephant calf. The festival presently involves sixteen elephants; the number was previously higher (around fifty), 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.
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
It is a splendid treat to the eyes as nearly 50 unadorned elephants are positioned amid many people to be worshipped and fed with a delicious feast. A large number of people throng the temple to feed the elephants. Every fourth year of `Aanayoottu,' `Gaja pooja,' is conducted. It is believed that offering poojas and delicious feed to the elephants are a way to satisfy Lord Ganesha, the god of wealth and wish fulfillment.
Marking the beginning of the ceremony, main priest Payyappilly Madhavan Namboothiri gave the first ball of cooked rice mixed with herbs and medicines to Vadakkumnathan Chandrasekharan, the eldest among the jumbos present.
While many were busy counting the elephants that lined up around the temple, others made video calls to their dear ones to show the beauty of Vadakkumnathan temple, a UNESCO heritage site, and the elephants gathered for 'Aanayoottu'.
Many elephant lovers waited for Thechikottukkavu Ramachandran, the second tallest elephant in Asia, as the partially-blind tusker rarely appears in public events these days.
The tusker was welcomed with claps and joyous cries, even as many used the opportunity to photograph the giant tusker. For the 'Aanayoott'u ceremony, which completed 38 years on Sunday, the organisers used about 500 kg of rice mixed with jaggery, ghee and turmeric powder