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>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>Kerala's tallest elephant Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran participated in the famed Thrissur 'Pooram' on Sunday after it was given conditional nod on Saturday to participate in the festival after clearing a fitness test. Thrissur: Kerala's tallest elephant Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran participated in the famed Thrissur 'Pooram' on Sunday after it was given conditional nod on Saturday to participate in the festival after clearing a fitness test. The clearance to the government was given after a team of three veterinarians conducted the medical examination of the 54-year-old elephant. #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 The team had also submitted a report to the Thrissur collector TV Anupama stating that the elephant was fit to participate in the "vilambaram" ritual as part of "Pooram". The main event of the "Pooram" begins with the 10.5-foot-tall elephant pushing open the southern entrance gate of the ancient Vadakkumnathan temple in Thrissur, with the idol of 'neithilakkavilamma' atop it, symbolising the start of the festivities. Among the restrictions imposed on the use of the elephant are — it can take part in the ritual only for an hour from 9.30 am; four mahouts should escort the animal and barricades should be constructed on a 10-metre radius to prevent people from getting closer to the jumbo. Since 2014, the elephant has been been performing the ritual and has a big fan following in the state. However, after two persons were killed by the animal during a house-warming celebration in Guruvayur in February this year, the district administration had imposed a ban on its participation in festivals. As doubts were raised about the elephant being allowed to take part in the ritual, the elephant owners association had threatened not to provide any elephant for the 'Pooram' festival. The association has now withdrawn its threat and expressed willingness to provide elephants for the 'Pooram'. Animal welfare board member MN Jayachandran, who was part of the high-powered committee headed by district collector, said he was against the animal being allowed to participate in the ritual. "I have given my note of dissent to the collector and this was not a unanimous decision," he told a television channel. The jumbo, which is partially blind in the right eye, is said to have killed 13 persons, besides two elephants. The annual 'Pooram' festival, considered as the mother of all temple festivals in the state, is known for its colourful fireworks extravaganza and display of caparisoned elephants. The festival falls on 13 May this year. After the Kerala high court Friday refused to intervene in the matter, the state government had sought legal opinion fromAdditional Advocate General Renjith Thampan on the matter. He had advised the government that the tusker can be permitted for participating only in 'Pooram' festival with certain restrictions. The AAG told the government that people should be kept away from the jumbo during its parade and steps should be taken to avoid any sort of danger to the people. If any untoward incident occurred, the elephant owners should take its responsibility. Meanwhile, Thrissur, the state's cultural capital, is under a thick security cover with 3,500 policemen being deputed on duty till 14 May. Senior police officials said no carry bags would be allowed and bomb and dog squads would be deployed during the festival. People staying in lodges and hotels would be under survillance.<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.<doc-sep>
Thousands of people gathered here Sunday to witness the grand opening of the famed Thrissur Pooram, considered as the mother of all temple festivals. ‘Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran’, the controversial elephant which was earlier denied permission to take part in the festivities by the authorities on health grounds, ‘opened’ the annual festival at the ancient Vadakkumnathan temple here. Marking the ritual heralding of Pooram, Ramachandran, the tallest elephant of the state, pushed open the southern entrance of the shrine amidst thunderous cheers of the people gathered on the temple ground. The Thrissur Pooram falls on May 13 this year. The main event of the annual ‘pooram’ begins with the 10.5 foot tall elephant pushing open the gate of the temple, with the idol of ‘neithilakkavilamma’ atop it. Police and temple authorities had a tough time in shifting the jumbo from the ground after the rituals, based on the strict instructions by the district authorities. Among the restrictions imposed on the use of the elephant were: It can take part in the ritual only for an hour from 9. 30 am; four mahouts should escort the animal and barricades should be constructed on a 10-metre radius to prevent people from getting closer to the jumbo. Ending four days of uncertainty, Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran was given the conditional nod Saturday to participate in the 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 54-year-old elephant. The team had also submitted a report to the Thrissur collector T V Anupama, stating that the elephant was fit to participate in the “vilambaram” ritual as part of ‘pooram’. Since 2014, the elephant has been been performing the ritual and has a big fan following in the state. However, after two persons were killed by the pachyderm during a house-warming celebration in Guruvayur in February this year, the district administration had imposed a ban on its participation in festivals. Thrissur, the state’s cultural capital, is under a thick security cover with 3,500 policemen being deputed on duty.