Punnathur Kotta
Punnathur Kotta in Kottapadi, Guruvayoor was a palace and fort but today it is an outstanding elephant sanctuary maintained by the Guruvayoor Devaswam. Guruvayur Temple is a very famous temple in Kerala and a lot of devotees visit this temple every day. The temple also has the uniqueness of owning so many elephants. In fact, you will not see such a large number of elephants in any other place in Kerala than this temple. Most of these elephants are the offerings to Lord Krishna made by devotees and are housed at Punnathur Kotta.
Punnathur Kotta is almost 3 kilometers away from the Guruvayur Temple and people who visit Guruvayur never forget to pay a visit to this fort. The reason is that this elephant sanctuary is only one of its kinds throughout the world. It is a favorite spot for many animal lovers who will get the opportunity to watch more than 60 elephants at a time by visiting Punnathur Kotta.
Guruvayur Keshavan, the legendary elephant was also housed at this fort. In Kerala, elephants are an unavoidable part of many festivals and Punnathur Kotta has the facility to train them to serve Lord Guruvayurappa and participate in different festivals occur in the state throughout the year. By visiting this elephant sanctuary, one can watch the rituals like Anayoottu, an offering to Lord Ganesha and Gajapooja, worshiping elephants.
Punnathur Kotta has a traditional naalu kettu with a central courtyard. Belonged to the Punnathur Raja, this compound is a training school for mahouts now. You can also see a temple in the compound dedicated to Bhagavathy and Lord Shiva. A lot of tourists and pilgrims visit this beautiful destination every day to watch these jumbos. There are road facilities inside this vast compound for the convenience of tourists and pilgrims to go around.
Visiting this unique elephant sanctuary can be a mind-blowing experience for each visitor. Situated in Thrissur district almost 3 kilometers away from Guruvayur Temple, you can visit Punnathur Kotta every day between 8 am to 5.30 pm. Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport for people who love to visit Guruvayur Temple and Punnathur Kotta which is around 109 kilometers away. The nearest railway station Thrissur is approximately 32 kilometers from this elephant sanctuary.
Guruvayur is a famous temple in Kerala and so many elephants belong to this temple have become legendary and part of history. Many people still enthrall the fond memories of Gajarajan Kesavan of Guruvayur. Many elephant lovers from across the world visit this sanctuary to watch elephants and know how to train them to participate in different rituals.
Kottapadi Road, Thrissur, Iringaprom, Kerala 680505
91 487 255 6004
Entry Hours 9 AM – 5PM
