Elephant owners association decry move to stop festivals

: A special convention of Elephant Owners Association held here on Monday called upon people to protect festivals and cultural heritage of the state.

Some people with vested interests are trying to torpedo the celebrations, including Thrissur Pooram, said T.A. Sundar Menon, President of Elephant Owners Co-operative Sangam.

“The people with vested interests have misled the court that elephant owners were misusing elephants for making money. We should try to convince Union ministers about the importance of festivals, including Thrissur Pooram, in Kerala tradition,” he said.

Cochin Devaswom Board President M. Bhaskaran Nair said that the maintenance of elephants has become a torture for owners because of the stringent rules and guidelines. Those who are worried about elephant parades should be first consider the condition of people who suffer dog bites on the streets, he said.

Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple President Panambilly Raghava Menon ridiculed elephant lovers by saying that those who have never bought a banana for an elephant were worrying about elephant parades.

“The ideas of bamboo and paper elephant are weird ideals. One cannot think about festivals without elephants,” said M.C.S. Menon, former President of Cochin Devaswom Board.

Cochin Devaswom Board former President Adv. M.A.A Krishnanunny said that the controversy over using elephants for festivals was an ongoing problem. “We should be able to convince the Supreme Court about the facts about festivals and elephant parades,” he said. Meeting called up on temple managements to pass resolution against move to ban elephant parades. Elephant Federation has also given instruction to mahouts that the elephants should not be harassed in any way.

Elephant owners association decry move to stop festivals

'Some people with vested interests are trying to torpedo the celebrations, including Thrissur Pooram.' they said.