Thechikottukavu Ramachandran

Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran (born c. 1964) is an elephant owned by Thechikottukavu devasom, a temple in Kerala.[1] Standing at 316 cm , he is the tallest living captive elephant in India. Ramachandran is fondly known among elephant lovers as Raman,EKACHATHRATHIPATHI(the only emperor),RAMARAJAVU(KING) and enjoys a huge fanbase following across Kerala.[2] Ramachandran is also given the title name of Ekachatradhipathi (The Only Emperor) by his fans.[3]

Thechikottukavu Ramachandran
SpeciesElephas maximus (Asian elephant)
SexMale
Bornc. 1964
Assam, India
Nation fromIndia
Years active1984–present
Known forThrissur Pooram, other Poorams
OwnerThechikkottukavu Devasom, Kerala, India
Height3.16 m (10 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Named afterRaman

The partly blind elephant plays a key role in several Pooram festivals but was banned from public display on multiple occasions.[4][5][6]

Incidents

He has killed 13 people and 3 elephants.[7]
The elephants he killed were Thiruvambadi Chandrasekharan,[7] Punnathoor Arjunan and Palakkad Keshavan.

Role in Thrissur Pooram

Thrissur Pooram is the largest and most popular among all Poorams (temple festivals). From 2011, Ramchandran does the Poora Vilambaram which marks the beginning of Thrissur Pooram. Poora Vilambaram is a custom where the elephant pushes open the south entrance gate of the Vadakkunnathan Temple, which hosts the Thrissur Pooram, with the idol of 'Neithilakkavilamma' atop it. After the 2019 incident in which Ramachandran trampled two persons to death, the animal was banned from being paraded at temple festivals after a panel of medical experts declared it medically unfit. The famed elephant was given conditional nod on 11 May to participate in the famed Thrissur Pooram after the animal cleared the fitness test. The clearance to the government was given after a team of three veterinarians conducted the medical examination of the tusker.[8]

References
  1. "Gajakesari Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran". elephant-kerala.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011.
  2. Balakrishnan, Reghu (2014-03-09). "Jumbo-size growth in this economy". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  3. "Kerala's star elephants are a 'jumbo' hit on the internet - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  4. "ഇടത്കണ്ണിന് പൂർണ്ണമായും വലത് കണ്ണിന് ഭാഗികമായും കാഴ്ച ശക്തിയുള്ള,4 ആനകളെ കുത്തിയിട്ടുള്ള, 7 മനുഷ്യജീവനെടുത്ത, അസ്സമുകാരനായ രാമചന്ദ്രൻ.(4 ആനകളെ കുത്തിയത് ആനക്ക് മടപ്പാട് ഉണ്ടാകുന്നതിന് മുമ്പ് ആണ്.ഇതിനെ ഇടക്കോൾ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു". Mathrubhumi.
  5. "Ban on celebrity jumbo threatens to take sheen out of Thrissur Pooram". Hindustan Times. May 8, 2019.
  6. "Kerala's celebrity elephant: Meet Ramachandran, who kickstarted Thrissur Pooram". The News Minute. 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  7. "Kerala's banned celebrity 'killer' tusker Ramachandran to be paraded in temple fests". The News Minute. 2021-02-12. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  8. Balan, Saritha S (May 11, 2019). "Celebrity elephant Ramachandran likely to be paraded for Vilambaram ritual in Pooram". www.thenewsminute.com.
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