Kerala Elephant Chengallur Ranganathan.
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| Chengallur Ranganathan |
Chengallur Ranganathan was the tallest elephant in Asia at 11.5 feet tall. Previously, he was owned by the Sri Ranganatha Vishnu Temple in Srirangam, 10 km from the historic Rock Fort City in Tamil Nadu. The temple has 21 gopurams and is the largest temple in India and one of the largest religious temple complexes in the world, spread over an area of over 156 acres. Ranganathan's task was to fetch water for temple purposes, including ablutions, in large vessels tied to either side of his body. His only food was paddy and dry palm leaves. Because of the height he had gained over time, he could not enter the mighty towers of the temple. He became a liability to the temple authorities as it was not customary to use elephants in temple festivals in Tamil Nadu, and the revenue from the festivals was low. Due to injuries sustained while climbing the towers by force, his condition became miserable day by day, and he became very sick and emaciated with tired eyes. The temple authorities placed an advertisement in the Hindu newspaper and met with Chengallur Parameswaran Namboothiri, and bought the elephant in 1905 for Rs.1500.
After reaching Chengallurmana in Anthikkadu in Thrissur district, he was treated very well with protein food like rice with ginger and salt. Panayola, Chavanaprasam, and other Ayurvedic medicines, along with prasad from the Anthikad Bhagavathy Temple and prasad from the Ganapathi Homam held at Illat, were provided daily. Within a few months, he became a strong and handsome horn.
Ranganathan was standing tall with Shasta's trunk at the Aratupuzha Pooram in 1914 when the Puram elephant Akavoor Govindan (Paliyam Govindan) attacked him and he fell to the ground. He was taken back to home, underwent several treatments for about three years, and finally succumbed to his death in 1917, much to the grief of thousands of elephant lovers in Kerala. The centuries-old ossuary of Ranganathan is displayed in the main entrance hall of the Thrissur Museum.
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