The Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, transformed into a spectacle of devotion and grandeur during the 43rd annual Aanayoottu (elephant feeding) ceremony, drawing thousands of devotees and visitors on Thursday.

The elephants were fed a lavish mix of 500kg of cooked rice blended with turmeric, jaggery, and honey. Supplementing this were fresh jackfruit, bananas, watermelon, cucumber, sugarcane, and traditional ayurvedic herbs.

From dawn, people of all ages poured into the temple premises to witness and take part in the centuries-old ritual. Sixty-three elephants, including nine female elephants, lined up within the temple's inner grounds, each receiving a lavish ceremonial feast.