| Shaji, Poothakkulam, Kollam |
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It is perhaps easy to be eloquent about animal welfare when you do not have to handle them as a commercial proposition. Often the pressures of the market place get the better of concern for their wellbeing.
But Shaji of Poothakkulam, Kollam, who owns 13 tuskers, has a different attitude to his herd. Every year, during the monsoon season, he lets the elephants enjoy a well earned vacation with rejuvenating food.
After numerous days and nights of being symbols at temple festivals, his tired elephants are brought to their resting yard. Here what await them are: nice palm leaves for food, 6-hours long bath, rest in the waters of the nearby river, special medicinal food prepared with ghee and the 9 cereals.
Cruelty and apathy to tamed elephants by their owners and mahouts, often results in these beasts losing their mammoth patience and attacking their guardians. In the midst of such incidents, the approach of Shaji is different. His elephants only work in the festival season. Although they have hectic schedule during the season, once the rainy season comes, he insists on giving Ayurveda-prescribed treatment and rest. Shaji (40), who left his job in the Gulf to devote his time to maintaining the elephants, says the traditional treatment per elephant per day costs almost Rs.1000.
He is the Joint Secretary of the Travancore Elephant Owners Association.
Courtesy: Radhakrishnan.M.G (text), Sankar (photo), India Today, August 4, 2004
Contributed by: Administrator
