THRISSUR: It was a funeral like no other. Thousands of teary-eyed elephant fans flocked to the cultural capital on Sunday to pay tributes to Gajarajan Thiruvambady Sivasundar, who died earlier in the day after a prolonged illness.
Industries Minister A C Moideen, Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar and eminent personalities turned up along with nine jumbos to bid adieu to the gentle giant, who shored up temple festivals with his majestic presence.The 46-year-old tusker had been suffering from erandakettu (impaction of the colon) for the past 67 days and the end came at around 3 am. Forest Department officials confirmed that the jumbo, owned by businessman T A Sunder Menon, had died of the ailment. However, they maintained that the exact cause of the death could be confirmed only after studying the post-mortem report.
Brought from the Kodanad elephant camp, Sivasundar was offered to the deity of Thiruvambady in 2003 by Sunder Menon. Since then, he had been an integral part of the elephant procession at the renowned Thrissur Pooram.
The jumbo shot into fame when he lifted the ‘kolam’ of the deity of Thiruvambady at the Pooram.
Sivasundar had also participated in various temples festivals such as Arattupuzha Pooram and Uthralikavu Pooram in Thrissur, Nenmara-Vallangi Vela in Palakkad, and the Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple festival.
The elephant was bestowed with titles such as Kalaba Kesari Pattam and Mathanga Kesari Pattam. He was also the focus of a documentary titled Azhakinte Thampuran.
Sivasundar’s untimely death raises many questions about the maintenance of captive elephants in the state. According to experts, at least 70 elephant deaths reported recently were due to Ernadakettu.