Gajarajan Kongad Kuttisankaran (c. 1962 — 26 July 2020) was an elephant that lived in Kongad, Palakkad, Kerala.[1][2] He is one among the few native elephants born in Kerala to have a height of more than 309 cm.[3]
Kuttisankaran was born at the Nilambur Forest.[4] After leaving the forest at a very young age, he was offered to the Kongad Thirumandhamkunnu temple in 1969.[5] He has won the titles of Adyan Thampuran, Ibhakula Chakravarti and Gajarajan.[6] Kuttisankaran was one of the most famous elephants in the folklore of Kerala.[7][8] According to experts from Madangasastram, he was characterized by 18 claws, a protruding trunk, a long tail and beautiful eyes. [9]
Kuttisankaran was a regular at festivals including Thrissur Pooram, Nemmara Vela, Puthussery Vedi and Mannarkkad Pooram.[10] Kuttisankaran last participated in the Mannarkkad Pooram after which he went to treatment for age related problems and months later, he died on 26 July 2020.[11][12]
^ഹരിഗോവിന്ദന്, -വി. "നാടിന്റെ അഭിമാനമായി കോങ്ങാട് കുട്ടിശങ്കരന്". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
^"Kongad Kuttysankaran back to festival grounds". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
^Scigliano, Eric (2004). Love, War and Circuses: The Age Old Relationship Between Elephants and Humans. Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0-7475-6925-1. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^"ഗജവീരന് കോങ്ങാട് കുട്ടിശങ്കരന് ഇനി ഓർമ്മ; ചരിഞ്ഞത് ലക്ഷണമൊത്ത കൊമ്പൻ". malayalam.samayam.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2021-01-11.
Gajarajan KongadKuttisankaran (c. 1962 — 26 July 2020) was an elephant that lived in Kongad, Palakkad, Kerala. He is one among the few native elephants...
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