Lifestyle
In Kerala, elephants are often called the "sons of the Sahya," a reference from the poem "Sahyante Makan" by Vyloppalli Sreedhara Menon.
The elephant appears on the emblem of the Government of Kerala, derived from the Royal Arms of Travancore and Cochin.
Elephants carry deities during annual festival processions and ceremonial circumambulations in Hindu temples. They are adorned with gold-plated caparisons, bells, and necklaces.
The obsession with elephants peaks during Thrissur Pooram, a major temple festival in Kerala that attracts lakhs of visitors and is a prestigious event for temple elephants.
The world's only Elephant Palace, located in Punnattur Kotta, 3 km from the Guruvayur temple, was built to house the temple's elephants. Guruvayur Kesavan was one among them.
Each elephant has three mahouts, known as "paappan" in Malayalam. Their primary duties include bathing and massaging the elephant with small rocks and coconut husks.