Jumbos enthrall tourists on Kaanum Pongal at Topslip

The participating elephants were bathed, decorated and brought to Topslip, about 5 km from the elephant camp inside Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), for public display and celebration. Mahouts and tribal elephant handlers performed special poojas and ceremonies for the elephants, before the animals were fed with sugarcane and Pongal. The two-hour festivities were presided over by ATR Field Director V Ganesan and Deputy Director V Subbaiah. A similar Pongal was organised for the two camp elephants at the Sadivayal elephant camp.

At MTR 

Tourists were disappointed as the annual Elephant Pongal was not celebrated at the camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR). Following death of two jumbos at the camp last month, the camp was indefinitely closed. As some tourists who were not aware of it, landed up at the camp but returned disappointed. 

“The remaining 23 elephants were shifted to two temporary places in MTR that were a few kilometres away from the actual camp, in the interior forests. A simple ritual of manning the elephants was performed by the tribals on Sunday night,” a senior forest official added. Since no elephants are in the camp they did not organise the celebration in the usual grand manner with tourists. Feeding of the trained elephants is the greatest attraction for the visitors during the Elephant Pongal celebrations every year. It attracts hundreds of tourists who specifically throng Topslip in Anamalai Tiger reserve every year. Activities of the pachyderms enthral the tourists and children alike. Some of the tourists even tried to take a selfie with the jumbos. The elephants were lined up for the tourists to enjoy. 

“We are thrilled to see children and families participating in the celebrations and their care for the jumbos. This is the first time we are seeing elephants so close and being so friendly. We are surprised to learn that there is a special festival organised for them and this is quite fascinating,” said Vishal and his wife, who had come from Bihar specially to participate in the Pongal festivities in the south.  As the event coincides with the Pongal celebrations and nearly a week-long holiday, forest officials organise the celebrations during that time. The organisers are also of the view that the celebrations create awareness among people about the elephants and the need to protect them as they play a great role in ecological protection.