The sleepy villages of Thekkampatti and Theppakkadu lying along the foothills of the Western Ghats come alive during the months of January, February and March every year. It is the time of the year when the glamour boys and girls of the villagers make their annual trip to the banks of River Bhavani for their rest and recuperation.
Mahesh, Abirami, Abhayambikai, Uma Maheswari, Kalyani… the list goes on. They are all elephants, belonging to various mutts and temples in the State which come under the department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments. Come January, all these pachyderms undergo a series of medical tests in their stations. Those found healthy and devoid of any communicable diseases or infections are transported to the temporary camps set up at these villages where they undergo annual rejuvenation therapy lasting for 48 days.
As on Saturday, three camps are in progress in south western Tamil Nadu. More than 100 elephants are undergoing the annual rejuvenation therapy, which they enjoy to the hilt, in these camps. No work... all play and good rest, followed by bath in Bhavani River twice a day and of course sumptuous feast prepared under the watchful eyes of veterinary surgeons and nutrition experts. The next 48 days will see the pachyderms regaining their health and energy with which they can face the severe Tamil Nadu summer and arduous workouts.
While 33 elephants undergo the therapy at Thekkampatti, the Theppakkadu camp hosts 52 pachyderms and the Anamalai Tiger Reserve camp is playing host to 23 elephants. All the three camps are well protected with watch towers and sentries to guard and save the inmates from the Romeos from the Western Ghat forests, the wild tuskers who come to woo the fair sex.
There were instances in the past when the weaker sex eloped with the Casanovas from the jungle only to get cheated and dumped by the villains, said ED Ramesh, an avid elephant lover who never misses a chance to visit the camp and exchange pleasantries with the elephants who have come from far-away places like Chennai and Kancheepuram. Khumkis, specially trained elephants, guard the camps along with the forest staff during night hours.
Special diets made of raagi, rice, fruits and vegetables form the daily menu of the elephants. A group of veterinarians, nutrition experts and para-medical staff have been deputed by the Department of Forests for all these camps. “What is striking is the familiarity these elephants have with the villagers. They greet us whenever they see us,” said Dakshimamurthy, a regular visitor to the camp.
“The rejuvenation camp here in Coimbatore district is a small time affair. We have camps of longer duration in Kerala where the elephants and fed with specially made Ayurvedic diet and medicine,” said Ramesh.
The fact that two Ministers of the Edappadi K. Palaniswami Government flew down to Coimbatore to inaugurate and oversee the camps speak volumes about the importance the authorities give to these camps. It was J Jayalalithaa, the then Chief Minister, who launched the State-funded rejuvenation therapy camp for elephants in the State.