Coconuts, sugarcane, bananas, the soft leaves of the banyan and peepal tree…these are his favourites. He likes to loll about in the woods after a meal. He is a little slow — he takes his own time to get things done. But don't think he's lazy; he's far from it. He listens to everything I say. He's a good kid, you know, my elephant Santhosh. I've been his mahout for almost 10 years.
My name is B.Kethan and I'm 42 years old. I belong to the Betta Kuruba tribe. I was born in Kargudi, a hamlet near Gudalur. When I was a kid, all I wanted was to go to school like the other kids. But my family couldn't afford it. I dropped out after standard five.
One day, after work, my mother told me her employer had spoken of a vacancy for the post of yaanai paagan in Mudumalai. She worked as a maid in the residence of an official from the Forest Department. He asked her, ‘Your son is unemployed, isn't he? Why don't you ask him to join?' My first reaction was fear. I had never even gone close to an elephant. How was I to manage one? But I had to work; the situation at home was such.
I was 18 when I first ran my palm over the rough skin of an elephant. His name was Bharathi — he was two years older than I was. He was a katta komban — his tusks were short and blunt. I approached him with trepidation. But he was good to me. Within two months, I was made permanent. All it takes is 15 to 30 days for a person to get used to an elephant and vice-versa. The initial few days are fearsome for any mahout. But once the elephant is familiar with your smell and voice, you have nothing to fear from him. I've been the mahout of several elephants after Bharathi, but it's seven of them that are dear to me.
Venkatesh is the movie-star elephant. He has acted in five movies with actors such as Prabhu, Kushboo and Sarathkumar. I stood behind the camera and called out commands and he did as I said. He made me so proud. Santhosh comes next. A mahout will love the elephant that listens to him. Santhosh listens to me.
Our day starts with a leisurely bath in the river at dawn — I scrub him clean while he lies with his back towards me. Every day, I apply neem oil with a brush on his toes so that he doesn't develop cracks and infections. We then walk to the feeding camp for his daily quota of boiled rice, horse-gram, ragi, salt, jaggery and minerals. His breakfast weighs 14kg. Sometimes, there is a treat of two sugarcanes before breakfast. After that, we head to the woods, looking for leaves for him to eat later in the day. I cut them up and pile them on top of him.
We spend the rest of the day in the forest — walk, stop, chop; walk, stop, chop, with ample time for relaxation. We lounge about till its time for a bath once more before supper. Then it's the 14kg concoction of rice, horse-gram and minerals once again, and Santhosh retires for the day.
When he has been especially good, I buy him coconuts and bananas with my bata for the day. But I must be careful not to feed him too much, otherwise he might develop indigestion. I love my sons and daughter, but I love Santhosh much more. It's he who gives me my kanji . The little things he does…he grunts in response every time I call him ‘beta'!
One afternoon, while I squatted on the forest floor cutting grass, something extraordinary happened. A wild tusker charged towards me out of the bush. Before I knew it, Santhosh came between him and me. Taken aback, the tusker retreated and moved away. This elephant wouldn't let anything happen to me!
(Kethan is a mahout at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve)
