Play and poojas for 'Arikomban' tusker

Even as wild elephant 'Arikomban' has widely gained a villain's image, Kerala is also witnessing elephant lovers highlighting the tusker's plight through film, play, pooja and demonstrations.

A Thiruvananthapuram-based theatre group has come out with a one hour play titled 'Arikunjan' that highlights the plight of the elephant that was translocated from its original habitat. Thamp Theatre Academy has brought out the play on the tusker, which was screened in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The play was also selected for the national theatre festival, the theatre director Rajesh Chandran told DH.

An 'ashtadravya homam' pooja was reportedly performed for the elephant's wellbeing at a Ganapathi temple at Vadakkencherry in Palakkad the other day. A Malayali settled in Karnataka initiated the pooja after being moved by the injury mark found on the trunk of the elephant when it was translocated last week, a section of media reported.

Elephant lovers had also staged demonstrations seeking the protection of the tusker. A film titled 'Arikomban' was already announced. It is in the making.

'Arikomban' was initially translocated by Kerala forest authorities from its original habitat at Chinnakanal in Idukki district last month following protest by local people alleging that it was frequently causing destruction and killed several persons.

The tusker that was translocated to forest near Periyar tiger reserve later entered human settlement of Tamil Nadu and hence Tamil Nadu forest authorities translocated it to Kalakkad Mundunthurai Tiger Reserve, which is close to the forest areas of Thiruvananthapuram. There are concerns that it may again enter human settlement and the Tamil Nadu and Kerala forest authorities continue to be on high alert by monitoring its movements using the GPS radio collars fixed on it.

'Arikomban' got the name as it often took away rice ('Ari' in Malayalam) from the human settlements of Chinnakanal region near Munnar tourist spot in Idukki district.