NJANGATTIRI AANAYOOTTU
AT
PALAKKAD
Festival Date - 21-7-2017
Venue - Njangattiri Bhagavathi Temple
Location - Pattambi
District - Palakkad
Elephants are usually seen decorated and paraded around during temple festivals in Kerala. However, during this elephant feeding ritual, they remain unadorned. The elephants are taken inside the temple premises and given a delicious feast of sugarcane leaves, coconut, jaggery and other local produce by people who come to worship them. The ritual aims to please Lord Ganesha, for the removal of obstacles and fulfillment of wishes.
A grand ceremony wherein a special feast is prepared for the elephants, the Njangattiri Aanayoottu ritual is held in the Njangattiri Bhagavathi Temple at Pattambi in the Palakkad district. In the Aanayoottu (Aanayoottu meaning feeding of elephants) ceremony, the elephants are fed specially medicated food. The ceremony is based on the principles of Ayurveda which consider the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam as a month of rejuvenation. Accordingly, this Ayurvedic tradition of rejuvenation is extended towards Elephants as well.
During this festival, the elephants are lined up in a row in the temple premises and are offered delicious and healthy food. The special feast of elephants is prepared by following ayurvedic principles. Being a sacred animal, feeding elephants is also considered auspicious according to Hindu mythology and culture. Scores of people throng the temple premises to feed the elephants.
Nearest railway station: Shoranur, about 18 km
Nearest airport: Coimbatore International Airport (Tamil Nadu), about 55 km from Palakkad
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