Ban Lifted On Kerala's Celebrity Elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran

Kerala’s celebrity elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran’s ban on attending temple festivals and processions has been temporarily lifted, reports said on Tuesday.

The District Monitoring Committee of Captive Elephants Management and Maintenance has given conditional permission for parading Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran during festivals on a trial basis for two months, according to The Hindu .

Last year, the ban on Ramachandran, ahead of Thrissur Pooram, one of Kerala’s biggest festivals, had led to uproar and protests by the state’s elephant owners association.

Read: Thechikottukavu Ramachandran and why is he important in Kerala?

In February 2019, the elephant had run amok after firecrackers were burst near it in Guruvayur. Two people were killed  in the incident. The tusker was allowed to participate for an hour in a ritual for the Thrissur Pooram after protests.

The ban has been lifted this time subject to several conditions, including only two processions a week, a weekly fitness certificate and the condition of the wounds on the tusker’s skin, Mathrubhumi reported. 

The Thechikkottukavu Devaswom will have to take responsibility for any damage caused by the elephant and has been asked to submit and affidavit to the Thrissur District Collector accepting these conditions.