Anayadi Gajamela / Anayadi Pazhayidam Narasimha Swamy Temple / Kollam #anayadipooram #kollam

Anayadi Pooram 2026 / Anayadi Pazhayidam Narasimha Swamy Temple / Kollam #anayadipooram2026 #kollam Anayadi Gajamela / Anayadi Pazhayidam Narasimha Swamy Temple / Kollam #anayadipooram Anayadi Pazhayidam Sri Narasimha Swami Temple, located in Sooranad, is a significant pilgrim centre in the Kollam district of Kerala. The name "Anayadi" means "footsteps of the elephant." The temple's main deity is Narasimha Moorthy, the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu among the Dashavatara. This is the only major temple in India where Narasimha Moorthy is the primary deity. The temple's ten-day-long festival is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Makara (January - February). The Anayadi Gajamela, a grand elephant pageantry, is one of the most revered and loved events in Kerala. Elephants are offered to the temple deity and later lined up for a procession to please the god. The celebration is considered incomplete without the participation of elephants, which are worshipped as incarnations of Lord Ganesha. In earlier times, wealthy families in Kerala often kept an elephant as a family member. The people of Kerala eagerly participate in and observe elephant pageants, making them a special part of their cultural and religious celebrations.