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.