By ANI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A team of doctors on Saturday examined parade elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran and declared him medically fit to participate in the Thrissur Pooram festival. The district administration had earlier banned the 54-year-old jumbo king citing security reasons, according to reports. Reports suggest that the elephant is partially blind and has killed 13 people. Following the ban by the administration, the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation had announced via Facebook that it would not make any elephant available for elaborate temple festivities. On Sunday, Ramachandran will push open the entrance to the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur that signals the start of the Pooram, a large cultural festival held annually at the temple.<doc-sep>Thrissur (Kerala), May 12: The opening of the famed Thrissur Pooram festival here on Sunday was attended by more than 10,000 people after an order disallowing a 54-year-old tusker from taking part in the festivities was reversed on Saturday. Thrissur Pooram 2019: Elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran Arrives at Vadakkumnathan Temple After Being Deemed Fit And Kickstarts Festivities (Pics And Videos). The tusker, Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, was brought to the Vadakkumnathan temple here in a vehicle at around 10.30 a.m. and he symbolically pushed open the southern entrance of the temple, signalling the start of the festivities. However, the tusker was called back in an hour as directed by Thrissur District Cllector T.V. Anupama, leaving the visitors disappointed. Ban on 54-year-old elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran from Pooram festival in Thrissur: A team of three doctors examined the elephant this morning and declared it medically fit. The elephant will attend the special ritual of the Pooram festival tomorrow. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/Lr3a9LVz7g — ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2019 "Ramachandran was behaving perfectly. He should have been allowed to complete the ritual..." said T.N. Prathapan, former Congress legislator and party candidate from this Lok Sabha seat. On Saturday, Ramachandran, who has killed seven people in the past and is considered a tough elephant to handle, underwent a hour-long check-up by a veterinarians' team. The team cleared him as "fit for all activities" and submitted a report to Anupuma, who then decided to allow the pachyderm to do the job that he has been doing since 2014. Elephant to Undergo Medical Test for Thrissur 'pooram'. Thrissur Pooram is billed as the mother of all festivals in the state and the history of Pooram dates back to the late 18th century. It was started by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of the erstwhile Kochi state. The most keenly-watched event during the festival is the parading of more than 50 elephants and crackers display, that will take place on Monday afternoon and continue till the wee hours on Tuesday. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2019 02:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).<doc-sep>About The Video Thousands of people gathered on Sunday to witness the grand opening of the famed Thrissur Pooram in Kerala. A 54-year-old elephant 'Thechikottukavu Ramachandran' also participated in the festival. It was banned after it killed two people earlier this year. The elephant was cleared for participation by doctors after medical tests. Ramachandran, the tallest elephant of the state, pushed open the southern entrance of the shrine amid thunderous cheers of the people gathered on the temple ground. The Thrissur Pooram falls on May 13 this year.<doc-sep>Star elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran being taken away from near the Southern Gopuram of Vadakkumnathan Temple after it pushed open the Gopuram doors on Sunday morning heralding Thrissur Pooram. (Photo: ANUP K. VENU) Thrissur: The ceremonial event heralding the Thrissur Pooram was performed by star elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran on Sunday morning when it pushed open the southern gopuram (door) of Vadakkumnathan temple in the presence of thousands of fans. The elephant, the second tallest in Asia, with a history of killing 13 people and three elephants since 1986, was allowed to perform the ceremony by the District Captive Eleph-ants Monitoring Committee (DCEMC) after several rounds of talks between the Elephant Owners’ Federation, state government and the district administration. The pachyderm was brought in a truck from Thechikottukavu temple near Peramangalam here and taken back in the vehicle after it opened the temple doors for the Pooram to be held on Monday. The spacious ground in front of the southern gopuram was jampacked with people who came to witness the event. The elephant, which has the highest hiring charges in Kerala, was recently banned by the forest department from taking part in festivals after it killed two persons at a private festival at Kottapadi near Guruv-ayur in February. After prolonged parleys, it was allowed to perform the ceremony for a short period. The elephant had been doing it for the past five years and had made it an attractive event associated with Pooram. n Pg 5 The fans of the elephant danced to the traditional percussion and cheered the animal as it raised its trunk to greet the crowd. With no vision in its right eye, it is very suspicious of its surroundings and could run amok with the slightest disturbance, according to an expert committee appointed by the forest department in March.<doc-sep>
The tusker has reportedly killed 14 people in the last thirty years. (ANI Twitter) Thrissur: Scores of devotees cheered as Kerala's beloved one-eyed elephant waded through the corridor of the famed Vadakkumnathan temple here on Sunday after it was given a conditional nod by the district authorities to participate in the Thrissur Pooram festival. Citing violent behaviour, the district authorities, in February this year, had imposed a stringent ban on the elephant, Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, after it trampled upon two people during an event. The tusker has reportedly killed 14 people in the last thirty years. The ban was, however, lifted on Saturday after Ramachandran cleared medical tests conducted by a team of veterinarians, following which the report was sent to the District Collector TV Anupama, who gave the final nod. #WATCH Kerala: 54 year old elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran participates in the Thrissur Pooram festival after doctors cleared it following medical tests. A ban had been imposed on the elephant after it killed two people during an event in Guruvayur earlier this year pic.twitter.com/fk3eeQLvVk — ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019 Bearing idols of Neithilakkavilamma and colourful parasols atop it, the tusker symbolically pushed open the gates of the ancient temple. The crowd, which was made to stand several feet away from the elephant, cheered as the elephant entered the aisle of the temple. The 54-year-old elephant has been performing at this ritual since 2014. Despite his infamy, he is fancied by a lot of people in the state. Following the ban, the authorities had moved the Kerala High court, which had refused to intervene in the matter. Later, the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation had announced via Facebook that it would not make any elephant available for elaborate temple festivities. Now, even though the order was reversed on Saturday, a few restrictions still loom large over the tusker. It can now take part in the ritual only for an hour from 9.30 am; four people must escort the animal and barricades should be constructed on a 10-metre radius to prevent people from getting closer to the jumbo. Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Kerala. This year, it will take place on May 13 and 14.