The Rajas of Chirakkal (by which name the Kolathiri Family has been known since they shifted their capital to Chirakkal in 858 CE) have been pious devotees of Sri Rajarajeshwara and some touching incidents are told relating to the intensity of their devotion. The Maharajas of Travancore used to make an offering of an elephant to the temple before ascending the throne (It is worth noting that both Kolathiri and Travancore are branches of the Velir clan, originally from the Thiruvananthapuram area, descending from the ancient Ay/Venad family. Kolathiri and Travancore have since as two sister dynasties reciprocally adopted from each other several times). The Zamorin of Kozhikode was also an ardent devotee of this deity.