The History behind Anayoottu: paved way from Asian Games

Anayoottu is an annual ritual celebrated at SreeVadakkunnathan Temple at Thrissur.

• This ritual was started to help elephants paraded at 1982 Games’ opening ceremony held in
• Accordingly, Kerala’s elephants were selected, along with other cultural forms of the country, for display at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games held in Delhi in 1982.
• Many of them belonged to the Guruvayur temple from PunnathurKotta.
• After participating successfully in the parade at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, the elephants returned.
• But the long journey made many of them sick and weak.
• To help them regain health, Anayoottu was started at the SreeVadakkunnathan temple, where special nutritious food was fed to the

About Anayoottu

• 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 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 elephants being positioned amid a multitude of people for being worshipped and fed.
• Aanayoottu, gajapooja, is conducted every year.
• 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 fulfilment 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.