KATHMANDU - The eighth edition of International Elephant Race started from Monday at the Baghmara Community Forest, the buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park in central Nepal. More than 20 elephants and many calves will take part in the elephant race and football match.

This tournament is also known as the "elephant festival" in this region as elephants take part in different contests.

According to Monday's Repubiica daily report, elephants are decorated for their participation in a beauty contest that began from the last edition. An elephant named Chanchal Kali holds the title of the contest.

Likewise, Champa Kali of Hotel Barahai, Pokhara, is the champion of 300 meters elephant race and Kist Bank is the defending champion of the calves' football. Hero Pawe of Green Society is the defending champion of cart race and has won the title thrice.

The event is being organized by Chitwan Regional Hotel Association of Nepal while Nepal Tourism Board promotes the competition.

The tournament also features boat race, bullock cart race and cart race. The aim of the event is to promote internal and external tourism in the region.

An elephant is silhouetted while it feeds at Sauraha in Chitwan, about 170 km (106 miles) south of Kathmandu, December 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Mahouts ride an elephant as they return after collecting food from Chitwan National Park at Sauraha in Chitwan, about 170 km (106 miles) south of Kathmandu, December 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]