Guruvayur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief
Minister Chaggan Bhujbal on Sunday offered worship at the
famous Guruvayur Sreekrishna temple today.
After offering prayers, Bhujbal symbolically gifted an
elephant to the presiding deity of the temple, Lord
Guruvayurappan.
Maharahstra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had yesterday
worshipped at the temple and offered a symbolic donation
of elephant.
In the past, devotees used to buy elephants and donate
them to the temple, a ritual known in local parlance as
"nadayiruthal." Since there are restrictions in buying
elephants and gifting it to temples now, the ritual is
performed symbolically with the donor paying the amount for an
elephant calf to the temple coffers. Then, an elephant already
under the upkeep of the temple would be symbolically donated
to the shrine.
Guruvayur temple has 62 elephants which are lodged in a
sprawling park on the outskirts of the temple town.
The temple trust sets apart a big amount in its budget
every year for the upkeep of the jumbos which are mostly used
for parading for festivals.
PTI