COIMBATORE: Temple elephant Joymala alias Jeyamalyatha, which was taking part in annual rejuvenation camp at Thekkampatti, was sent back to the Sri Andal temple Srivilliputhur in the wee hours on Thursday. The decision was taken as per recommendations of the committee of experts that is monitoring the animals in the camp.
The animal was hurriedly loaded on to a truck at 2.30 am on Thursday along with mahout Subramaniam and a team of veterinarians. Sources said mahout Vinil Kumar and Kavadi Sivaprasath who were arrested for abusing the animal and are out on bail, visited Thekkampatti to help Jeymalyatha get on to the truck for her return journey and that the elephant mellowed upon seeing them. Officials refused to confirm it.
A member of the committee, said on February 23, a day after the arrest of Vinil Kumar and Sivaprasath, they had recommended to HR &CE department officials to send her back. The elephant was aggressive and remained chained to a tree as taking her for a walk and bathing it was difficult without her regular mahout and kavadi, he said.
“It was dangerous to keep her chained when other elephants remained free, so we advised HR&CE officials to send Jeyamalyatha back to the Srivilliputhur temple where she spent so many years. A week passed, but there were no development. Subsequently, we sent a reminder asking them to shift the elephant immediately.
Also, we suggested that if they cannot send her back, we could shift her to the camp at Kozhikamuthi in Ulanthy forest range in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) near Pollachi or Theppakadu elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Nilgiris,” the source said.
He further said the animal accepted food from Subramaniam, who worked as assistant to mahout of Thiruchendur temple elephant, but they did not want to take a chance by untying her since only an experienced mahout could control her. Jeyamalyatha reached Srivilliputhur temple at 10.30am where a pooja was conducted to welcome her. Sources in the temple said the animal was healthy.