Punnathur Kotta Elephant Sanctuary
പുന്നത്തൂർ കോട്ട
This elephant sanctuary, set in the courtyard of a former royal palace, is run by a temple in Guruvayur and houses dozens of temple elephants. You can watch the elephants bathe up close.
Punnathur Kotta, also known as Anakotta, is about 3 km north of Guruvayur. It was once the palace of the Punnathur royal family and is now managed by the Guruvayur Temple. It houses dozens of temple elephants donated by devotees, making it one of the largest concentrations of captive elephants in the world. In the morning, you can watch mahouts bathe and feed the elephants in the pond. Elephant training and festival processions also depart from here. Admission is about 25 rupees, and cameras cost extra. Do not approach or feed the elephants. Some animal welfare organizations have criticized the conditions in which temple elephants are kept.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple
- Vilangan Kunnu
- Snehatheeram Beach
- Thiruvambady Sri Krishna Temple
- Sakthan Thampuran Palace
- Vadakkunnathan Temple
- Thrissur Pooram & Thekkinkadu Maidan
- Paramekkavu Bhagavathi Temple