‘Bound by love, not chains’; Pallatt family’s lasting memories of Brahmadathan

KOTTAYAM: Pallatt Brahmadathan, a majestic elephant who was a major attraction at festival grounds, died after being struck by lightning on Sunday. The Palatt family, who owned the elephant, said Brahmadathan was like a son to them. His owners, Rajesh and his brother Satheesh turned emotional while talking to the media. They said they had lost a gentle son who would run into the courtyard and around the property even without being chained. They also said that dates were his favourite food and that whenever Brahmadathan returned from a distant place, he would first meet their mother, Kamalamma, and show his affection.

‘It has been only 16 years since he came to us. We cannot forget him. He was our life, both during Omana Chettan’s (mahout) time and afterwards. Whenever we let him loose, he would go straight home to eat with mother. He was a loving animal. He was not an ordinary elephant. He was our life. Wouldn’t we be heartbroken if we lost one of our own?

We will never get someone like him again in our lifetime. We will never find such a calm and intelligent elephant again. He never needed a chain. Even though we own a sawmill, we haven’t made him carry wood even once. He had no illness. Wherever he went, he would leave only after seeing our mother. It was the same when he returned also.

Brahmadathan was a favourite among elephant lovers during festival processions at major temples across Kerala. At the Thrissur Pooram, he carried the idol during the night Pooram procession of Paramekkavu.

When Lakattur Damodaran Nair, who had been Brahmadathan’s mahout for 25 years, passed away, the elephant was taken for his funeral. Brahmadathan touching the mahout’s body with his trunk and paying respects had attracted significant attention.

Brahmadathan was an indispensable presence at major temple festivals in Kerala, particularly in central Kerala.