Nadayiruthal is a solemn ceremony practiced in the temples of
Kerala. It is a traditional practice where elephants are presented to the presiding deities of temples. During the day, the elephant is brought to the temple after a holy bath with ceremonial procession and temple orchestra. It is made to sit on the 'Vellayum Karimpadavum', meaning a woolen blanket and a white cloth, in front of the chief deity. After performing certain rituals, the priest of the temple ties the identity token with the name of the elephant, around its neck. From that day onwards, the elephant becomes the property of that temple and it gets the right to carry the image of the divinity on festival days.
