Who is 'Chillikomban'? Meet the friendly fruit-eater tusker from Kerala's Nelliyampathy
Locals claim that this tusker enters the forest and goes through it without causing any significant problems for the people living there.
FollowWith the onset of mango season in the scorching summers, a wild tusker descends on the forest borders of Nelliyampathy. The elephant is known locally as 'Chillikompan'. Locals claim that this tusker enters the forest and goes through it without causing any significant problems for the people living there. Chillikompan's favourite items are jackfruit and mangoes.
Elephants that wander into the countryside are given double names based on their preferred foods. Because of this, the wild tusker in the Chinnakanal and Periya Canal region became known as the "Arikomban." Along with him, a jackfruit-eating wild tusker by the name of Chakkakompan was present.
However, it is unclear who came up with the term Chillikompan. According to the locals, the elephant that visits the jungle during the mango and jackfruit seasons will overcome any obstacle to obtain the fruits. The jackfruit or mango trees' height is not a barrier to Chilikomban. Additionally, according to the villagers, the elephant has a propensity for shaking mango trees and dropping the fruit before eating them. To get access to the fruit at the peak of the jackfruit tree, it climbs the tree.
The people enjoy watching the elephants meander through the tea plantations after a hearty meal. Despite finding him next to orange or plantation worker fields, Chillikomban poses no threat to people. He doesn't mind if he doesn't obtain his preferred jackfruits and mangoes.  Locals claim that it often returns to the forest in the same manner as it left the area.
On the other hand, wild tusker Arikomban who was translocated from Chinnakanal to Periyar Tiger Reserve was traced in a deep forest in Tamil Nadu on Sunday morning. The elephant entered Tamil Nadu's Megamalai and triggered panic among the residents on Saturday.Â
Meghamalai is a village close to Kumily in Kerala that is just over the border in Tamil Nadu. A week after the relocation, on Tuesday, Arikomban wandered into the village, according to reports.
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