Watch | Thousands brave torrential rain to witness iconic Aanayoottu ritual at temple in Kerala’s Thrissur

Ignoring relentless monsoon rain, thousands of devotees thronged the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, on Friday (July 17, 2026) to witness the annual Aanayoottu (feeding of elephants), turning this year’s (2026) ritual into a memorable ‘rain feast’.

The skies seemed to mirror the spectacle below. As dark monsoon clouds gathered over the temple, 49 elephants — tuskers, female elephants and calves — lined up near the southern gopuram, their glistening black bodies standing out against the rain-soaked temple grounds. Unadorned by caparisons or festival ornaments, the elephants displayed their natural majesty, offering a rare sight in a city more accustomed to seeing them decked up for Pooram festivities.

The downpour, however, refused to relent. Unlike previous years, when rain usually arrived briefly before or after the ritual, it poured almost throughout the ceremony. Umbrellas bloomed across the temple courtyard as devotees struggled to catch a glimpse of the elephants. With almost everyone holding umbrellas, space became scarce and many found it difficult to watch or feed the animals. Many were unable to photograph the event for fear of rain damaging their mobile phones and cameras.

Despite the weather, the temple ground remained packed from early morning with families, children, elephant enthusiasts and pilgrims from across Kerala. Many waited patiently in the rain for their chance to offer food to the elephants.

Nutritious feast for jumbos

The ceremony began with the Melsanthi (chief priest), Payyappilly Madhavan Namboodiri, offering the first rice ball to female elephant Thiruvambady Lakshmi. The elephants were served a nutritious feast prepared from 500 kg of cooked rice mixed with jaggery and turmeric and rolled into large balls. They were also fed pineapple, cucumber, watermelon, maize, bananas and several other fruits, besides a special herbal digestive mixture.

For many festival organisers, Aanayoottu is more than a ritual. It also serves as an occasion to observe elephants closely (without accoutrements) before selecting them for the upcoming temple festival season.

Following the feast, the elephants paid obeisance to Lord Vadakkumnathan before leaving through the eastern gopuram.

Roots of the ritual

The ritual traces its origin to 1982, when Kerala’s elephants returned exhausted after participating in the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in New Delhi. The temple introduced a special feeding programme to restore their health, and the practice later evolved into the annual Aanayoottu held on the first day of Karkkidakam.

The event, organised by the Vadakkumnathan Temple Advisory Committee with the support of the Cochin Devaswom Board, was held under tight security. Around 175 police personnel and volunteers were deployed to manage the large crowd, with barricades erected to separate devotees from the elephants.

The day also marked the beginning of the Ramayana month. An Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathi Homam, to propitiate Lord Ganesha, who, according to Hindu belief, removes obstacles in one’s life, was performed at the temple. Thousands of coconuts, jaggery, beaten rice, puffed rice, sesame, honey, sugarcane and other ritual offerings were used.

Devotees throng Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur to witness Aanayoottu | Video Credit: K.K. Najeeb