Elephants have always attracted me. For ages, temple elephants have been a vital part of temple ceremonies and festivals especially in South India. In Kerala, they have a pride of place – as evidenced by the Pooram festivals or the Punnathur kotta, the place for temple elephants at Guruvayoor. Elephants have been the central theme of many films : Yanai Pagan, Yanai valartha Vanampadi, Nalla Neram, Ram Lakshman, Annai Oru Alayam, Kumki; more beautifully portrayed in some Malayalam movies like - Aanachandam, Gajaraja Manthram and the ultimate Guruvayur Kesavan … the love of the film industry dates back to 1937 movie ‘Elephant boy’ made at the London Films studios at Denham, and in Mysore.
IN Kerala, it is quite common to see elephant walking on the street or being transported in a truck standing so comfortably .. .. in Tamil Nadu, the annual elephant rejuvenation camps conducted by TN Govt have been a great hit – the elephants of various temples, Mutts and various other places are provided rest, medical treatment and happiness in the forest environ for 48 days. The elephants residing in various part of the State are transported in trucks to Mudumalai, where take rest and are provided healthy food and medical care~ yet the Western World would often put a stray article trying to indict Indians on elephants being subjected to harsh treatment and being treated badly.Little would they know or understand the love and affection that people here have for the mammoth animals. Miles away, an elephant died and several others ended up loose on a Spanish motorway after the circus lorry they were in overturned today.MailOnline reports that Police had to close the A30 in Pozo Canada near Albacete south east of Madrid after the extraordinary crash. Motorists filmed the animals strolling towards waste ground and feeding by the side of the road. The dead animal was removed from a ditch by the side of the motorway where its body ended up following the drama around 4pm. While the carry truck lay mangled at the site of accident, two bloodied elephants were seen walking across the busy dual carriageway which had to be closed by the police as motorists watched in amazement from a distance. It is stated that one elephant died after collapsing into a ditch on the side of the road after the crash.Fortunately, the others being transported were safe though two of them had bleeding injuries and was treated and taken to another area.