Popular elephant Karnan, identified for its ‘raised head’, dies at 65 in Kerala
By Express News Service
PALAKKAD: Mangalamkunnu Karnan, the captive elephant which is thought for his ‘raised head’ and confidence had a separate fan following at pageant venues died right here on Thursday. It was round 65 years previous.
It was a lot wanted at festivals on account of its peaceable temperament and its raised brow. It was dropped at Kerala from Chapra in Bihar in 1989. It was Manissery Haridas from whom it was bought by the Mangalamkunnu brothers, M.A. Haridas and M.A. Parameswaran round 20 years in the past.
“Though it had a height of only 9.75 feet, when it raises the head it out beats elephants which had a height of 10 feet and above at gajamelas which were annually held at Palluruthy in Ernakulam and Ittithanam in Kottayam. When Mangalamkunnu Karnan participates in gajamela competitions, there is no one to beat him. It was also a winner for the last nine years at the ‘head raising’ competitions held at the Sreekumara Ganesha temple, Chakkumarassery in North Paravur. It was a treat to watch him with the ‘thidambu’ on his forehead at the festivals,” stated Rajesh, an elephant lover.
“It died at around 5 a.m. today. There was a wound on the left leg and it was being treated. But that wound was not the cause of death. It would have slept by 3 a.m. but it did not get up. We feel it had died due to heart attack. Due to the lack of festivals in the wake of the pandemic it was under rest,” stated M.N. Haridas, the proprietor.
He stated that the veterinary medical doctors from Thrissur will conduct the put up mortem and the elephant can be cremated within the Walayar forests thereafter.
