Aanayoottu
Encyclopedia
The Aanayoottu is a festival held in the precincts of the Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur
city, in Kerala
. The festival falls on the first day of the month of Karkkidakam (timed against the Malayalam calendar
), which coincides with the month of July. It involves a number of unadorned elephant
s 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 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 temple
s 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.
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
city, in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. The festival falls on the first day of the month of Karkkidakam (timed against the Malayalam calendar
Malayalam calendar
Malayalam calendar is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Kerala, India. The origin of the calendar has been dated as 825 CE....
), which coincides with the month of July. It involves a number of unadorned elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s 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 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 temple
Shiva temple
The Madai Vadukunda Shiva Temple is believed to have been constructed by “Kolathiri” Kings during medieval period on a plateau land generally known now as “Madai Para” in Madai Village, Kannur Taluk and District of Kerala State. This is situating 22 km north of Kannur, the Head Quarter Town...
s in southern India, has hosted the Aanayottoo event for the past few years.
Procedure
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.