THRISSUR: Kerala and its people have always been proud fans of elephants, be it wild or captive. And that love for these majestic animals manifests itself in different ways throughout the state, especially in the era of social media.
At Thiruvullakkavu in Thrissur district, 54 years ago, an elephant lover opened a wayside eatery that went on to display hundreds of elephant photos. Customers stepped into the shop not just to sip sizzling hot tea but also to take a look at the ‘mighty’ pictures. On Sunday, the shop — known as Aanakkada — downed shutters, pushing its fans into grief.
Established by Narayanan, Aanakkada was once a wayside eatery that usually catered to people who visited the famous Thiruvullakkavu Sree Dharma Sastha temple. The Vidhyarambam ceremony in the temple is so popular that people from across the state and beyond go there to initiate their children into the world of learning.
Aanakkada provided a different experience to those visitors and turned almost everyone into an admirer of these gentle giants. “My father started the shop to earn a livelihood for the family. When I took over from him, I began displaying pictures of elephants. Soon people noticed it and started giving me more pictures, even without asking. Now, over 400 pictures of elephants adorn the walls of Aanakkada,” Raju, the owner of the shop, told TNIE.
Photos of celebrity elephants like Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, Pambady Rajan and Thiruvambady Sivasundar were all displayed there, gaining wide attention. Thus, Aanakkada became a hit among the ‘digital’ generation as well.
Rare photos of the tallest elephant, Chengallur Ranganathan, are also there in Aanakkada, serving more like a museum than an eatery. To put in context, it is the skeleton of Ranganathan that is on display at the museum in Thrissur.
Pictures of the revered tusker Guruvayur Keshavan is also on display in Aanakkada. While the shop has a fair collection of images, Raju has a personal collection of close to 1,500 elephants from around the world. “It began as a hobby. People used to share with me the photos of elephants they come across and I would take printouts.
The love for poorams and elephants began in childhood, having been born in Peruvanam. The Arattupuzha-Peruvanam pooram witnesses the participation of the largest number of elephants, and we take immense pride in it,” he added.
Now 60, Raju decided to shut the shop as his health is not ideal to keep it running. Shortage of full-time staff to run the eatery without compromising on its quality too became a challenge. And the last cup of tea was served on April 12.
Eatery-turned ‘museum’
Established by Narayanan, Aanakkada — once a wayside eatery — served more like a museum
It usually catered to people who visited the famous Thiruvullakkavu Sree Dharma Sastha temple
Photos of celebrity elephants like Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, Pambady Rajan and Thiruvambady Sivasundar were all displayed there