THE TEMPLE ELEPHANTS OF KERALA

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Sacred Elephants of Kerala

Care and feeding are extensive Rajen Nair (rajennair)

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Published 2006-06-05 11:37 (KST) In India, at the southern tip of

Cape Comorin, is the evergreen palm-fringed state of Kerala, claimed as

" God's own country. " A trip to Kerala is never complete without a visit to

the famous Sri Krishnan Temple shrine located at Guruvayoor. If an

early-morning *darshan* (blessing) of the Lord Krishna is a spiritual quest,

then a two-km. (1.24 mile) trip to Ponnathur Kotta, a 12-acre plot where the

elephants are housed, is a must-see.

 

The elephants, referred to as " Sons of the Sahya " (the Western Ghat

mountains), form an integral part of daily life and are beloved and revered

by the people of Kerala. Owning an elephant confers pride and prestige on

one's Tarawad (family house), and the selection is based on an elephant's

physical qualities: e.g., height, length of trunk, and the strength of its

tusks.

 

<javascript:image_win('image_view.asp?photo_no=470641')> ©2006 rajen

nair There are 62 elephants, each costing upwards of about Rs 6,000,000

(US$131,350). About 150 staff are employed to take care of these elephants,

and their food and maintenance are a huge drain on the temple coffers,

amounting to about 2.5 *crores* (547,300) annually. Revenues from donations

are plowed back into their upkeep. A devotee wishing to donate an elephant

to the temple will pay no less than Rs 10,000,000, ($218,900), which

includes about Rs 4,000,000 ($87,566) for maintenance. The Guruvayoor

Devaswom Board has set up an Elephant Expert Committee to physically examine

each animal. After issuing a fitness certificate, the temple will accept the

elephant as a gift or offering.

 

These elephants are taken care of by the best tenders in the country. Each

elephant has three *mahouts*, referred to locally as *pappans*, who are

assigned the task of bathing and doing massage with rocks and coconut husks.

The elephants are given ayurvedic rejuvenation treatment with decoctions of

herbs.

 

Elephant getting a massage. ©2006 rajen nair During the temple

festivals, these elephants are decorated with a gold-plated caparison,

necklaces, and colorful umbrellas and taken out in procession to the beating

of *mridagam* (drums) and the trumpeting of bugles.

 

 

©2006 OhmyNews