Kerala elephants receive rejuvenation therapy during monsoon

With the onset of monsoon, most of the captive elephants in Kerala will be put on a special treatment for a month as part of a rejuvenation therapy.

Over 65 temple elephants in Kerala are given a specially prepared feed with medicines during the peak monsoon months of July and August.

During this period, these gentle giants are also provided with total rest and rejuvenation therapy to enhance their well being.

The ritualistic annual ceremony, locally called Aanayoottu, literally means 'feeding the elephants' with specially prepared food (anna means elephant and oottu means food), which is valued for its high medicinal value and regarded as a vital therapy for enhancing the well being of all the captive elephants in Kerala.

Elephants were lined up in the morning near Vadakkumnathan temple premises in Thrissur district to taste the delicacy which will be continued for the next one month.

The mixture that is fed to the elephants contains many ayurvedic and allopathic medicines, herbs, mixed with boiled rice and jaggery.

The medication will continue for the next 20-25 days for all the pachyderms depending on their health conditions and weight, added a vet doctor.

The month of Karkidakam or the last month of the Malayalam calendar year is considered to be ideal for all kinds of rejuvenation therapies in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine.

The therapy is undertaken for elephants across the state during the monsoon months. In Kerala alone there are around 850 captive elephants according to records.