Food Preparation for Anayoottu (Elephant Feast)

During the season of karkkidakam (July / August) in Kerala, elephants are brought inside the premises of the Vadakkumnathan Temple, situated in the heart of Thrissur town and lined-up in a single row.
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 ceremony is also rooted in the belief that worshiping the elephants and giving them delicious and healthy food is a way to propitiate Lord Ganesha, the elephant-faced God, who, as per the Hindu faith, removes obstacles in one’s life.