Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu): In the dense forests of Tamil Nadu, an amazing story of love, respect and coexistence unfolds. Kumki elephants, once wild and uncontrolled, have now become gentle guards who keep people and animals from fighting.
Among the celebrated kumki elephants are Kaleem, Wilson, and Chinnathambi, trained and nurtured by their dedicated mahouts.
"You can chain an elephant's legs, but you can't chain its character. An elephant is a wild animal and will show its anger from time to time," Mani, Kaleem’s mahout.
Kaleem who has retired from the job is known as the ‘King of Kumkis’ in the entire forest range.
Kumki elephants are used to prevent Man man-animal conflict in human habitations adjacent to forest areas. These Kumki elephants are specially trained to capture and relocate elephants. According to the forest department, Tamil Nadu has the best kumki in India.
At least 55 kumki elephants, including 29 kumki elephants in the Muthumalai Elephant Sanctuary and 26 kumki elephants in Topslip in Tamil Nadu, are under the control of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Among them, Kaleem, Wilson and Chinnathambi elephants are famous due to their special character and individuality.
Asked how elephants become kumki, Mani says, “We try to drive elephants back into the forest which usually causes problems in human settlements. But if that is not possible, we will try to catch the male wild elephants that are causing more trouble and convert them into kumki.”
He says elephants caught in this way are first kept in wooden cages called karols and during this time food is used in moderation, he says. It’s only after this, mahouts start giving orders to the elephants. "Every time it listens to us, we give the elephant a piece of sugarcane. Gradually, the aggression subsides and it becomes calm and starts listening to what we say. Everything is in that one piece of sugarcane," says Mani.
"In other states, elephants are trained using Ankusam (Sharp Weapon). However, in Tamil Nadu, we get close and speak with love, affection and support. If you get used to it, you will understand it better. It's like pampering our children," he explains.
Tamil Nadu Kumkis has also completed many operations in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Even now there are mahouts from Topslip in Tamil Nadu staying in Kerala Muthangi Elephant Camp.
There is a special language for training elephants. This language is created by mixing 47 languages including Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and Telugu. Mahouts says that they use this language so that no one else can control the elephants.
Read More
