Fortynine elephants were fed at the annual ‘anayoottu’ (feeding of elephants) ceremony of Sree Vadakkunnathan temple here this morning with a large number of people turning up to watch the visual treat.
The ceremony was held as part of ‘Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathy Homam’, offering of holy materials in sacrificial fire to propitiate Lord Ganesa. About 1,000 kg rice flakes, 10,000 coconuts, 2,000 kg of jaggery, 200 kg of ghee and 50 kg honey were used for the ‘homam’.
Temple Melsanthi (Chief priest) Kottampilly Narayanan Namboodiri inaugurated the ‘anayoottu’ by giving the feed to the youngest elephant of the lot “Kuttumukku Kannan”.
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The elephants were given rice mixed with jaggery, ghee and turmeric powder. They were also fed coconut, sugarcane, pineapple, bananas and cucumber.
In a bid to ensure the elephants did not suffer due to overeating, a herbal digestive powder, ‘Ashta Churnam’ was also given at the end of the jumbo feast.