| Thechikottukavu "Raman" Ramachandran | |
| Species: | Elephas maximus (Asian elephant) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Birth Date: | c. |
| Birth Place: | Bihar, India |
| Nationality: | India |
| Years Active: | 1984–present |
| Known: | Thrissur Pooram, other Poorams |
| Owner: | Thechikkottukavu Devasom, Kerala, India |
| Namedafter: | Raman |
Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran (born) is an Indian elephant owned by Thechikottukavu devasom, a temple in Kerala.[1] Commonly known as simply Raman, he is the tallest living captive elephant in Asia, standing at .[2] They gave Ramachandran the title Ekachatradhipathi .[3] He reportedly formerly had the name Moti Prasad until he was purchased by a new handler in 1984.[4]
Ramachandran is blind in his left eye.[5] [6] This reportedly occurred at the hands of his handler, who punished him after a violent incident. He is also reportedly losing vision in his other eye due to his old age.
He has reportedly developed a fan following, with a 2023 article claiming he had a Facebook fan page with 122,000 followers.
He plays a key role in several Pooram festivals. In 2018, 50,000 spectators gathered to watch Ramachandran kickstart Thrissur Pooram at Thrissur's Vadakkumnathan temple.[7]
The state of his health and his public appearances are reportedly controversial. Firecrackers and large crowds have reportedly been present at his appearances. Ramachandran's keepers have responded that he hasn't harmed anyone and that he is well cared for. These claims have been contested by observers, who claim that Ramachandran shows signs of distress and pain during his appearances. The mortality rate for captive elephants in Kerala is reportedly high, with 12 deaths in 2018 and 58 in the preceding 27 months.
A number of animal rights activists have protested his public appearances. One veterinarian argued that "[parading elephants] is nothing but torture to the animals under the guise of offering to the deity". At least one whistleblower reportedly received death threats and online harassment for protesting Ramachandran's treatment.
Temple committees have reportedly participated in auctions, where his presence at festivals is bidded upon.
Due to Ramachandran's popularity, temples in Kerala have wanted him to carry god's idol during temple festivals to attract a crowd. He had previously been banned by the authorities for causing the deaths of 13 to 15 people and at least three other elephants. People close to Ramachandran claimed that the elephant never killed people intentionally, but accidentally. The ban was lifted and Ramachandran was allowed to continue participating in festivals. Both the elephant and his mahouts have been subjected to criticism by the media and other elephant owners. In 2015, an attempt was reportedly made to kill Ramachandran by mixing blades in his feed.[8]
He has been banned from public display on multiple occasions.[9] [10] [11]
Since 2011, Ramchandran has performed the Poora Vilambaram in the Thrissur Pooram, the largest Pooram festival. He pushes open the south entrance gate of the Vadakkunnathan Temple, marking the beginning of the religious festival. After a 2019 incident in which Ramachandran trampled two people to death, the animal was banned from being paraded at temple festivals after a panel of medical experts deemed it medically unfit. The elephant was given conditional permission to participate in Thrissur Pooram on 11 May 2019, after a team of three veterinarians had the elephant pass a fitness test and conducted a medical examination.[12]