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| Abraham Thomas, Palakkunnam estate at Valakkayam, Kanjirappally. |
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It was sheer love of elephants that prompted advocate Abraham Thomas to offer his estate as a burial ground for dead elephants. When the offer was made at a meeting of elephant owners, many doubted the practicality of the suggestion. But during the past 5 years his sprawling 150-acre Palakkunnam estate at Valakkayam, Kanjirappally has seen the burial of 35 elephants and cremation of 1.
The cremation was reserved for Gajakesari Thiruvampadi Chandrasekharan, a majestic tusker who had served the Travancore Palace for 20 years.
Abraham, who is a member of the owners’ association and Elephant Welfare Association, is himself the owner of 7 elephants. He arranges labour and other requirements for burial at his own expense. He mentions the case of an owner from Kollam who sent the sick elephant to him even before its death, thinking that transporting the carcass would be costlier. As Abraham confronted the owner, he slipped from the scene, leaving the elephant there. With 14 days of treatment the elephant became well again. Then Abraham sent the pachyderm back to Kollam in the company of another mahout.
He has made a TV serial on elephants and has produced a feature film with MGR as hero way back in 1953.
With the 150-acre rubber estate near Manimala river, medicinal plants near the house, estate for coco, pepper, nutmeg etc. bachelor Abraham is leading a farmer’s and elephant lover’s life.
Courtesy: Malayala Manorama, October 12, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
