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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Special Correspondent

‘Anayoottu’ at Vadakkunnathan temple

The Gaja Puja held at the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple, Thrissur, on Saturday. Gaja Puja is held once in four years. (Source: K.K. Najeeb)

Anayootu, Ashtadravya Maha Ganapathy Homam, and Gaja Puja were held at the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple, here, on Saturday, the first day of Karkadakam month.

The Ashtadravya Maha Ganapathy Homam was held at 5 a.m. Gaja Puja, led by Tantri Pulayannur Sankaranarayanan Namboodiri, started at 8 a.m., and was held for all the elephants that participated in the function. The ceremony is held once in four years.

Anayoottu started at 9 a.m. Devaswom Minister K. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the ceremony by giving rice balls to elephants.

Elephant Variyath Jayarajan was fed first. Fifteen elephants took part in the low-key ceremony, in which, on normal occasions, 50-odd elephants participate. Public were not allowed to the venue in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions. Elephants were given rice balls, fruits, and vegetables.

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