Kochi: In a departure from tradition, the Dakshina Mookambika Temple in Paravoor near Kochi has decided not to parade elephants during the festival beginning January 25 on the plea of animal welfare activists.
The first temple under the Travancore Devaswom Board to leave jumbos out of a festival, it will instead use use a rath (chariot) at the ezhunnallethu, says G. Narayanan, secretary of the temple’s festival committee. The decision of the committee, taken on Wednesday, will have to be ratified by the tantri and the Devaswom commissioner.
“When the issue of elephants came up for discussion , we thought we should stop the practice and set an example for temples nearby. The Kollur Mookambika temple uses a rath for its festival, so we thought why shouldn’t we do the same,” he adds.
The practice of parading elephants, which was restricted to a few temples in Kerala till the 1970s, spread to others following an increase in jumbo trafficking to the state from the north east of the country.
Since then parading elephants has become a matter of pride for many temples, which willingly shell out the Rs 1 lakh or more required to do so even for a day. The government, however, recently ordered temples to restrict the number of elephants used in parades to three in view of the rising incidents of the animals going on a rampage on these occasions.
But with the Paravoor temple deciding to go further and give up their use altogether, it has received much praise from animal welfare activists. Secretary of the Heritage Animal Task Force, V. K. Venkatachalam calls it “ a praiseworthy decision.” “
I hope that other temples in the state too will follow suit. This will be good for both elephants and temples,” he says, recalling that the animals that have gone berserk during festivals in the past have even killed people.
“Though there is a rule that the belly-to-belly distance between two elephants being paraded in temples should be at least four meters, it is rarely followed,” he notes, regretting that temples and other organisations dont bother to give elephants in captivity the space they need either. “Every elephant should get at least one-and-a half hectares of space, but this is hardly followed by anyone, except the zoos. Walking elephant on tar roads is barred but this too is ignored,” he points out.
While the Union environment and forest ministry had on August 10, 2010 taken a decision to give heritage animal status to the elephant, it was vetoed by the finance ministry as it involved an expenditure of Rs 500 crore, Venkatachalam recalls. “If that law was implemented, it would become impossible for people to own elephants. Only this can bring an end to the cruelty that elephants suffer today,” he says
Next: Thrissur will never agree
Thrissur will never agree
Nadeesh Kareemadathil | DC
Thrissur: For people in Thrissur, festivals are never complete without elephants. But after curbs were put in place in 2009, following the intervention of the union ministry of environment and forests, many temples are finding it tough to get new elephants for festivals.
The availability of around 563 elephants in the state is not enough considering the hectic festival calendar. The worst-hit are minor temples, who do not book tuskers early.
According to the new rules which came into effect from 2009, directives were given to elephant owners to plant a chip on the skin of the pachyderms, in order to track to them. This is the only census taken in this regard so far, said Dr. PB Giridas, eminent veterinary surgeon, specialising in elephants.
“The decline in the number of elephants has several factors besides these—most tuskers are not tended well. The mahouts are largely uneducated in elephant herding. They do not feed or bathe the animals properly.
Scarcity of water has hit the health of the elephants, whose lifespan has come down to less than 40 years in three years. As of now, 10 per cent of the elephant population is within the age of 0-20 years, 10 per cent is within the age of 20-30 years of age and 40 per cent in the age group of 30-40 years. Only 40 per cent remain out of the 568 (above he says 563, pls check) elephants that are above 40, usually the ripe age for elephants.” said Giridas.
The major cause of the shortage is the fall in the number of native tuskers and the legal check on the import of elephants from other states. But even as the elephant auction has begun, the shortage of elephants is jeopardizing Kerala as a tourism destination. Most foreigners come to Kerala during this season to enjoy the caparisoned elephant parade
Next: Belief prevents Chittoor temple from using Jumbos
Belief prevents Chittoor temple from using Jumbos
Kochi: The Sree Krishnaswamy Temple in South Chittoor, on the outskirts of Ernakulam city, has the distinction of not using elephants for any of the functions in the temple for years. The reason for aversion towards the elephant, otherwise the hallmark of temple fests in the region, is not clear.
Myths and legends connected with the temple, also known as the Dakshina Guruvayur, are silent on the matter. One of the stories, mainly part of oral history of the village, is about the fear the infant Krishna, presiding deity of the temple had towards the elephant.
But, this is discounted as the Guruvayur temple is known for its scores of elephants. M. Aravindakshan, a native of Chittoor, who is well versed in spiritual and theological issues connected to the temple said that the Chittoor temple is endowed with the grace or chaitanaya of Narasimha, one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. Since the place is endowed with the grace of Narasimha, the elephant naturally stays away from the place.
According to Aravindakshan, once an elephant was brought to the temple on the advice of an astrologer but the elephant fell sick within two hours after reaching the temple. Whatever may be the reason, elephants remain an anathema to the Chittoor temple but devotees of Chittoorappan have no complaints.
