Guruvayoor elephant race is on Wednesday. Elephants are selected for the famous Guruvayoor elephant race which is held before the festival. Five elephants were selected. Devdas, Ravikrishnan and Gopi Kannan are the running elephants. Chenthamaraksha and Devi are the guardian elephants. Elephant race is on Wednesday afternoon.
This time only ten elephants can participate in the elephant race. The number has been reduced due to security concerns. More than 25 elephants used to participate. The regular elephant feeding after the elephant race has also been banned. Elephant race will be done with utmost safety. From Manjulal, where the elephant race takes place, to Kshetranada, a special group of papans will take control. At 2:30 in the afternoon, ten elephants were charged in front of Manjulal. As soon as the temple bell strikes three, the elephants will run to Manjulal with kudamani for the elephant to wear. After putting them on, Marar will call the conch. With this, three elephants will run forward. The elephant that crosses the temple gate will be declared the winner.
The elephant-free Shivali on the beginning of the festival is reminiscent of the Shivali of the days when there were no elephants in the temple. In the morning shiveli, Kirshanthi Guruvayurappa’s golden titambu will be walked and walked for three rounds. The condition is that elephants should not enter the temple premises until the elephant race is over on that day.
When there was no elephant in Guruvayoorambalam, elephants were brought from other temples for the festival Ezhunnallip. Due to some reasons the elephants could not be brought one year. Legend has it that elephants ran from Trikanamatilakam temple to Guruvayur temple that afternoon.
