With barely hours left for the curtains to go up on Thrissur Pooram, Express does a roll call of majestic jumbos which are set to participate in the world-famous cultural extravaganza
The black charm
Black is indeed beautiful and nothing proves this better than the array of elephants at the famous Thrissur Pooram. Many of the elephants that take part in the festival are huge celebrities themselves, each having a huge fan following. Many of them have multiple fan pages dedicated to them on social media. The annual festival, which features most of Kerala’s celebrity elephants, is an occasion for jumbo enthusiasts to admire their favourite tuskers up-close.
Everyone in the state’s cultural capital has a jumbo tale to narrate. And everyone who attends the festival will go back with one. Jumbo buffs express their love for elephants through various means. While some drape ‘ponnada’ (shawl with golden border used to honour people) around the tusks of their favourite elephant, others offer sweets and rice. However, this time it will be difficult for the public to go near elephants as the police have made arrangements to separate the crowd from elephants. The authorities have made arrangements to provide packs of watermelon, cucumber, and palm leaves to elephants on regular intervals. With the stage set for yet another edition of the famed pooram, the star jumbos and their fans are getting ready for the jamboree.
Kuttankulangara Arjun
Height: 304 cm
Origin: Bihar
Owner: Kuttankulangara Devaswom
Vital stats: High density of white-reddish spots in the forehead, ears, trunk base and chest of the elephant has given it a fond name of ‘Anakalile Sayippu (foreigner) ’ among elephant lovers
The ‘Sayippu’ Among jumbos
Kuttankulangara Arjun was brought from Bihar in 1991 by Kongadu Namboothiri and it joined the Kuttankulangara Devaswom in 1999. It had carried the thidambu of Thiruvambady in 2002.
Mangalamkunnu Ayyappan
Height: 305 cm
Origin: Bihar
Owner: Mangalamkunnu Brothers
Vital stats: A trunk that touches the ground, broad forehead, long tail and fleshy body
A Jumbo so close to fans’ hearts
Mangalamkunnu Ayyappan was brought to the state in 1992 from Sonpur mela in Bihar. Carried the thidambu (replica of the deity) for Paramekkavu contingent in Thrissur Pooram in 2007.
Ernakulam Sivakumar
Height: 301 cm
Origin: Kerala
Owner: Cochin Devaswom Board
Vital stats: Long body and broad forehead, lost one of its tusks and carries a fibre tusk in place of it. A new tusk is growing in place of the lost tusk
Desi jumbo with artificial tusk
Ernakulam Sivakumar was brought from Kodanad elephant kraal by K G Bhaskaran and was offered to Ernakulam Siva Temple. A familiar face for the people of Thrissur and Kerala as it is part of the elephant contingent of Thiruvambady for the past years.
Guruvayur Nandan
Height – 306 cm
Origin – Karnataka
Owner – Guruvayur Devaswom
Vital stats: 18 white nails, broad and fleshy forehead, a trunk that touches the ground and long earlobes
Narayana Priyan, Thrissur’s favourite
Guruvayur Nandan, fondly known as Narayana Priyan, Sahiyaraja Kulapathi among elephant buffs. A familiar face for the people of Thrissur. Used to carry thidambu for Paramekkavu in Thrissur Pooram. He was offered to Guruvayur by Nandakumar from Kozhikode in 1996.
Sankarankulangara Manikandan
Height: Around 300 cm
Origin: Kerala
Owner: Sankarankulangara Devaswom
Vital stats: Born in the forests of Nilambur, it is one of the endemic elephants in the state with all the features needed for a perfect jumbo, according to experts.
The athlete among jumbos
Sankarankulangara Manikandan was a member of the team of elephants which was sent for Asiad. It was the first elephant offered to a deity in Thrissur. A familiar face to the people of Thrissur due to its presence in Thiruvambady contingent for a long period.
Paramekkavu Kasinathan
Height: Around 300 cm
Origin: Andaman
Owner: Paramekkavu Devaswom
Vital stats: Rightly positioned tusks, long earlobes, fleshy forehead and long
trunk and a growth beyond its age
Jumbo from the island territory
Paramekkavu Kasinathan was brought from Andaman. It reached the hands of Paramekkavu in 2012 after a couple of sales and resales. Carried the thidambu of Paramekkavu last year during the kodiyettam ceremony.
Thirunakkara Sivan
Height: Less than 300 cm
Origin: Kerala
Owner: Thirunakkara Temple
Vital stats:
Long earlobes which even cover the forehead of the elephant while flapping
Straight from Kodanad
Thirunakkara Sivan was brought by the temple authorities from Kodanad elephant kraal. This is the second term for Sivan in Thrissur Pooram. When positioned in straight-line, its long earlobes will cover the face of other elephants standing near to it.
Mullath Ganapathy
Height: Around 300 cm
Origin: Assam
Owner: Mullath Biju
Vital stats: Have almost all the requisite qualities for a perfect elephant. Long curved tusks with right shape, 18 white nails and a long trunk that touches the ground
Jumbo with huge fan following
Though Mullath Ganapathy is from Assam, its body traits are same as those of Kerala elephants. It has a good number of fan following on social media. A foodie, it can spend hours during ezhunnellippu if there is enough food.
Pallattu Brahmadathan
Height: Around 300 cm
Origin: Bihar
Owner: Pallattu family
Vital stats: Fleshy body, 18 nails, white tusks, calm nature
With love from Kottayam
Pallattu Brahmadathan had carried the thidambu of Paramekkavu during the night pooram last year. Though it belongs to Kottayam, it regularly gets featured in the festival processions of central Kerala of late.
Thiruvambady CHERIYA Chandrasekharan
Height: Around 300 cm
Origin: Bihar
Owner: Thiruvambady Devaswom
Vital stats: 18 nails, capacity to hold head high in the air for long, sandal-coloured tusks, etc
Divine offering
Thiruvambady Cheriya Chandrasekharan was offered to Thiruvambady Devaswom by a devotee from Thrissur. Used to take part in Thrissur Pooram for the Thiruvambady contingent.
30elephants, 15 each for Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devaswoms, will feature during the kudamattom
Celebrity elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran will kickstart the Pooram by pushing open the southern entrance of the Vadakkumnatha Temple on Sunday
90 elephants are likely to participate in the pooram proceedings