Opinion | The Elephants We Love, The Elephants We Harm

Perhaps the real measure of Kerala’s love for elephants is not how loudly we celebrate them, but whether we are willing to change the way we treat them

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Pallatt Brahmadattan, an elephant famous across Kerala, died this week after being struck by lightning. In the news reports, many of those who loved the majestic and much-loved animal can be seen crying their hearts out over its untimely and unexpected demise. The emotion is genuine, and the affection is deeply felt. Kerala loves elephants. There are people who are genuinely devoted to these creatures and who can spend hours talking about the mannerisms, temperament and character of Kerala’s famous elephants. From Pampadi Rajan to Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, there are many famous elephants with their own devoted following. Kerala is probably the only state where elephant fans are as fervent and devoted as fans of film stars. However, there is considerable reason to think that such adulation and devotion does little good for the animals themselves. In fact, they may be harmed by precisely the kind of excessive and unnecessary devotion that their fans display. But what explains this extraordinary affection for elephants, and how did it become such an important part of Kerala’s cultural life?

Elephants are an integral part of Kerala’s temple festivals. Thrissur Pooram, the most celebrated temple festival in Kerala, features more than a hundred elephants each year, and there are festivals that parade even more. Even lesser-known temples feature elephants in their annual festivals, while many temples traditionally carry the deity atop an elephant during the daily ritual of “Sreebhootha Bali".

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Interestingly, the scriptures that prescribe temple rituals and modes of worship do not specifically mention elephants, nor do they make their presence mandatory for festivals or daily rituals. What they prescribe is that the deity should be accorded “Raajopachara", or the ceremonial honours and protocols traditionally accorded to kings and emperors. As kings in this part of the world were associated with elephants and grand processions mounted on them, the........

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