Famous Elephants in Kerala

Pampadi Rajan

Pampady Rajan born in Malayattoor Forest Division Kerala, presently living at Pampady a village in Kottayam district Kerala. Pampady Rajan has won many Gajapattams (elephant awards) and a rare award called Gajamaanikyam for his beauty. Pambady Rajan is one of the celebrity elephants in Kerala.

Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran

Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran is an elephant owned by Thechikottukavu devasom, a temple in Kerala. Commonly known as simply Raman, he is the tallest living captive elephant in Asia, standing at 321.5 cm. They have also given Ramachandran the title Ekachatradhipathi.

The partly blind elephant plays a key role in several Pooram festivals; in 2018, 50,000 spectators gathered to watch Ramachandran kickstart Poora Vilambaram, when the elephant pushes open the south entrance gate of the Vadakkunnathan Temple.

Thrikkadavoor Sivaraju

Thrikkadavoor Sivaraju is an elephant from southern Kerala owned by Travancore Devaswom. At an height of 311 cm, Sivaraju is one of the tallest living elephants in Asia. Sivaraju is an elephant with the body structure that is mentioned in mathangaleela (Book of elephants ). He is having a massive ear structure that makes sivaraju different and beautiful from other elephants.

Kottur Soman

Kottur Soman the oldest living elephant in the world, owned by the Kerala Forest Department.The forest department of Kerala procured Soman from Thekkuthodu Kepramala area of Ranni Forest Division.

After taking him to Konni elephant camp, he was trained and turned into a good Kumki elephant. Many elephants were trained under Soman. In October 2020, an event was organised in the Kottur elephant sanctuary, where Soman was honoured by the other elephants in the sanctuary, as the authority was preparing to enter him into Guinness World Record for the oldest elephant, after his 78th birthday.

Chirakkal Kalidasan

Chirakkal Kalidasan born wild in Karnataka forests is a famous Asian elephant. He is the second tallest elephant in India. He is famous for his huge fan base and he acted a major role in the film Bahubali. He is also known as Gajaraja Bahubali. In the early 2010s, he was given the name Junior Thechikkot by elephant lovers.

Padayappa Elephant

Padayappa also known as Munnar Padayappa is a wild elephant in Munnar in the Indian state of Kerala, known for its frequent appearances in residential areas. Padayappa, who occasionally roams on populated areas and creates traffic blocks on highways, does not harass or become aggressive.

The elephant's frequent visit to populated areas and cities as opposed to usual wild elephants and its calm nature caused it to attract wider media attention. Padayappa can be easily spotted because of his limp due to an injury on his hind leg and his unusually long tusks.

Arikomban

Arikomban (Rice Tusker) is a rogue Indian elephant in Kerala, India. He was initially known as Chinnakomban. The elephant started violence in the region in the early 2010s. Arikomban's practice involves breaking into ration shops, home kitchens and grocery stores and eating the rice.

After a massive debate and a legal battle between the Kerala government and animal lovers, the Kerala wildlife department successfully tranquillised and captured Arikomban from Chinnakanal and released into Periyar National Park.