Click to play videoThrissur (Kerala): It’s monsoon season and the elephants in Kerala are on a holiday.
After months of parading at temple festivals, it’s now time for some well earned rest. Elephants in Thrissur are starting a month long rejuvenation therapy.
The rejuvenation therapy for elephants is called Aanayuttu and it has been followed for centuries now.
They are kept away from hard labour and fed with ayurvedic concoction for their good health and well-being these days.
The pachyderms get relaxing massages with medicinal oil and therapeutic baths, all rounded off with sumptuous food and that too every single day for a whole month.
Veterinary surgeon, Guruvayur Devaswom, N Nambiar says, “The restorative treatment starts on July 1 every year. Before starting the treatment, we take the weight of the elephants. According to the weight they are given food. The ingredients include cooked rice with ghee, wheat flour, powdered black gram, palm jaggery and herbal powders.”
As for the mahouts, they have their work cut out, taking care of these jumbo's in limbo is no easy task.
Mahout Sathya Palan says, “We take the jumbos for morning bath and give them food. Then during afternoon we give them the medicated food for their health. This is our routine work these days.”
As the rains shower a spell of relaxation for the elephants, here’s wishing them a very happy monsoon treat.
(With inputs from Kundur Sathya Narayanan in Thrissur)
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.