KOCHI: Declining to relax the 3-metre distance rule between elephants during parades, the Kerala High Court on Thursday orally observed, “Will religious practices crumble if elephants are not paraded during temple festivals? How is it an essential religious practice?”
A division bench comprising Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Gopinath P made the observation while hearing an application filed by the Cochin Devaswom Board seeking certain exemptions from the guidelines issued by the court, for the Vrishchikolsavam 2025 at Poornathrayeesa Temple in Tripunithura, which begins on Friday.
The court declined to modify its interim guidelines mandating a minimum 3-metre distance between elephants during festival parades, highlighting that the directive was essential to ensure the welfare of elephants, in compliance with constitutional mandates.
“Until the devaswom board proves that religious practices cease to exist without elephants, there is no question of it being an essential religious practice,” said the court.
Regarding the petition filed by the CDB to reduce the 3-metre distance rule, Dr P S Easa, an elephant expert and wildlife biologist, who appeared online, said captive elephants used in festivals are reportedly suffer from stress, which can lead to aggression.
He said attempting to accommodate more elephants in a small space could result in significant issues.
“If the personal comfort space is invaded, elephants may exhibit symptoms of withdrawal or aggression. Most of the incidents of elephants running amok in Kerala reportedly occurred when the animals were forced to stand too close together,” he noted.
HC tells Cochin Devaswom Board to comply with all conditions in guidelines Dr Easa emphasised that any discussion on the distance between elephants should consider factors such as belly size, tail length, ear-flapping space, trunk reach, space for the mahout to provide feed, and room to safely move a problematic elephant if necessary.
“It is scientifically reasonable to maintain a 3-metre distance from belly to belly between elephants. This distance is both practical and necessary,” he added.
The court directed the devaswom to comply with all the conditions in the guidelines, including the distance rule.
The guideline mandates that the district-level monitoring committee shall consider the availability of space inside temples or other places where the exhibition or parading is proposed and will ensure that no permission is granted unless the venue has sufficient space to parade the elephants with - a minimum distance of 3 metres between two elephants, a minimum distance of 5 metres from the elephant to the flambeau or any other source of fire, a minimum distance of 8 metres from the elephant to the public and any percussion display.
“We are not banning the parading of elephants. The majority of the people want it. But if you require parading by all means, do it as per the regulations,” the court clarified.
The CDB submitted that as per the essential religious practice and rituals of the temple, 15 elephants are paraded in the morning as well as in the night for the diurnal procession (Seeveli) and Vilakku, respectively.
To ensure compliance with the directions, the elephants will be paraded in rotation and all the elephants will be provided with adequate rest.
The parading of 15 elephants will be done by maintaining a safe distance. Further, 15 elephants will be paraded only at two places that are inside the aanapanthal and also for ‘Thirumumbil Melam’ on the western side of the temple. All arrangements are made to provide food and water in accordance with the stipulation, it stated.
The board added that the tethering spaces are secured by employing security staff with round-the-clock CCTV camera surveillance.
All the tethering spaces are equipped with water supply. All necessary arrangements have been made for the timely removal of filth and will be provided a healthy environment with sufficient shade for the elephants during the rest period, it said.