Worst-hit are minor temples that fail to book tuskers early
_0.jpg "Dearth of tuskers at temple festivals")
The availability of around 363 elephants in the State does not coincide with hectic festival calendar. The worst hit are the minor temples, which fail to book the tuskers early. (Photo: DC/File)
THRISSUR: The high mortality rate among captive elephants in the State has created a shortage of tuskers for temple festivals. Elephant lovers are forced to opt for ordinary elephants unable to compete with super jumbos in terms of height and beauty.
“After the end of the last festival season, famed tuskers like Pithrikovil Ganapti, Bastin Vinayachandran, Kuttankulangara Ramdas, Paramekkavu Valiya Narayanan and several other pachyderms had died. In fact many temples are finding it tough to get elephants for festivals following the imposition of a new rule.
The availability of around 363 elephants in the State does not coincide with hectic festival calendar. The worst hit are the minor temples, which fail to book the tuskers early. They then opt for ordinary elephants. “We are now forming a fans association for new generation elephants and are opening Facebook pages too. Huge flex boards are also in place to promote them”, says Jayesh, an elephant lover in Kunnamkulam.
Following the intervention of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, nobody can buy or possess new elephants. This leads to the severe shortage captive elephants in the State. And these new generation elephants may be the last generation of captive elephants in the State.
( Source : dc )
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