It is time for rejuvenation for elephants of the Guruvayur Devaswom. For the next one month, starting July 1, the jumbos at the Punnathur elephant camp will be pampered with body massage, elaborate bathing, exercise, and special food to improve their health, beauty, and immunity.
It has been three decades since the Devaswom started the annual rejuvenation therapy for its elephants. The therapy (Sukha Chikilsa) has been done according to a scientifically charted programme under the monitoring of an expert panel of doctors. An amount of ₹14 lakh has been earmarked for the therapy by the Devaswom.
“Rejuvenation therapy, whether it is for human beings or animals, used to be given during monsoon season. The treatment protocol has been prepared mainly according to their weight, age, and health conditions. Since these are captive elephants with controlled feeding, they may have some deficiency of micro and macro nutrients. Compensating that deficiency is the main objective,” says P.B. Giridas, one of the panel doctors.
Blood and elephant dung will be tested before starting the therapy. The functioning of liver and kidney and their stress level will be examined in detail. Medicines will be given for de-worming. The expert panel will decide therapy programmes for each elephant.
Detailed bathing with massaging, specially prepared food with minerals, vitamins, iron tonic and Ayurveda concoctions such as Chyavanaprasam and Ashta Choornam and exercise are the three important steps of rejuvenation therapy. According to experts, such scientifically prepared therapy has a significant impact on elephant’s health and beauty. “The weight of the elephant will increase by 300 to 400 kg by the end of the treatment,” says Dr. Giridas.
Though it is a month-long vacation for elephants, the camp will be vibrant with activities in these days.
“It’s almost kind of a festival at Punnathur Kotta. The preparations will start early in the morning. While a group of mahouts will be busy massaging and bathing the elephants, another group will be preparing food. The massage and bathing of each elephant will take three to four hours. It will improve blood circulation. After the bath, they will be fed the special food. The health of elephants is the priority of the Guruvayur Devaswom,” he says.
In all, 3,960 kg of rice, 1,320 kg of green gram or horse gram, 1,320 kg of finger millet, 132 kg Ashta Choornam, 330 kg chyavanaprasam, 132 kg of turmeric, and iron tonic, minerals and vitamins will be used for preparing special food for the elephants.
There are 44 elephants in the Guruvayur elephant camp. However, 14 of them are in musth. They will be given the therapy after the musth period.
The therapy is monitored by the panel comprising K.S. Panicker, Dr. Giridas, M.N. Devan Namboodiri, T.S. Rajeev, Vivek, and Charujit Narayanan.
