Thechikottukavu Ramachandran

Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran (born c. 1964) is a elephant owned by Thechikottukavu devasom, a temple in Kerala.[1] Standing at 314 cm, he is the tallest living captive elephant in Indian after mangalamkunnu karnan and the second in Asia.[2] Ramachandran is fondly known among elephant lovers as Raman and enjoys a huge fan following across Kerala.[3] Ramachandran is also given the title name of Ekachatradhipathi (The Only Emperor) by his fans.[4]

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
Height3.14 m (10 ft 4 in)
Named afterSri Rama

The partly blind elephant plays a key role in several Pooram festivals but was banned from public display on multiple occasions.[5][6] He is also known for killing an elephant during a festival.[7]

Incidents

During his lifetime, he has killed 6 people. He was brought to Kerala in 1982 and was purchased by Thechikottukavu devasom in 1984.to present

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 Ramachandran.htm the original Check |url= value (help) on July 10, 2011.
  2. Daily, Keralakaumudi. "Only Raman was able to break record of Guruvayur Kesavan". Keralakaumudi Daily. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  3. Balakrishnan, Reghu (2014-03-09). "Jumbo-size growth in this economy". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  4. "Kerala's star elephants are a 'jumbo' hit on the internet - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  5. "കാഴ്ച നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട, കൂട്ടാനകളെ കുത്തിയ, 13 മനുഷ്യജീവനെടുത്ത, അസ്സമുകാരനായ രാമചന്ദ്രന്‍". Mathrubhumi.
  6. "Ban on celebrity jumbo threatens to take sheen out of Thrissur Pooram". Hindustan Times. May 8, 2019.
  7. "Kerala's celebrity elephant: Meet Ramachandran, who kickstarted Thrissur Pooram". The News Minute. 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  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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