Gajarajan Manikandan

This video clip shows Gajarajan Manikandan, a 48- year-old elephant. This elephant belongs to the Sankarankulangara temple in Thrissur (former Trichur) district of Kerala, India.

The Gajarajan title
In Malayalam, Gajarajan means the King of Elephants. This is a title conferred to elephants with auspicious looks by prestigious cultural organisations.

Even referred to as the Sons of the Sahya Mountains, elephants play a major role in the cultural life of Kerala.

Apart from being a well-preserved animal genus, elephants are owned by individuals and temples. It is assumed that there are more than 700 tamed elephants in the state.

There is hardly any place in the world where elephants are loved, revered and groomed as in Kerala.

This video was shot at the venue of the Anayoottu ritual (a mass feasting of elephants), which is held annually in the Vadakkumnathan temple, Thrissur.