Kerala's elephant lovers in shock after Pallattu Brahmadathan's sudden death

The death of legendary tusker Pallattu Brahmadathan on Sunday has come as a devastating loss for elephant lovers and temple festival enthusiasts across Kerala.

The majestic elephant was killed after being struck by lightning in Melampara, near Erattupetta. Having recently completed his musth period, Brahmadathan had been resting for the past month in a temporary shed near the residence of his owner, Rajesh Pallatt. 

A majestic journey from Arunachal to Kerala
Brahmadathan’s journey to becoming one of Kerala's most celebrated elephants began 28 years ago. Originally a working timber elephant in the dense forests of Arunachal Pradesh, he was brought to Kerala by brothers Pothan Varghese and Chacko of the Papalaparambil family in Puthuppally, Kottayam. Initially named Puthuppally Brahmadathan, he was renamed Pallattu Brahmadathan 16 years ago when his ownership was transferred to the Pallatt family. Standing at an impressive 10 ft 2 in, his striking physical presence and exceptionally calm temperament made him an indispensable fixture at major temple festivals throughout central Kerala.

The epitome of elephant grace and discipline
Brahmadathan was highly regarded for embodying the ideal physical attributes of a noble tusker as described in traditional elephant science. With a broad, prominent forehead, heavy, symmetrical tusks, and a distinctive sandal-coloured musth secretion, he captured the hearts of onlookers wherever he went. Despite his grand stature, he was remarkably gentle and disciplined. He was a prominent participant in legendary festivals, carrying the sacred deity carrier (Thidambu) at the Paramekkavu temple during the Thrissur Pooram, including the famous night pooram in 2015. He was also a regular at the Ettumanoor Ezharaponnana and Vaikathashtami festivals. Following his appearances at the Thrissur Pooram, he maintained a personal ritual of visiting the Guruvayur Temple to raise his trunk in salute to the deity. He also enjoyed immense popularity online, with thousands of fans following his life through his dedicated Instagram page, Gajakausthubham Pallattu Brahmadathan.

The life-saving bond with his mahout
Beyond his festival glory, Brahmadathan was famous for his deep emotional intelligence and his legendary bond with his longtime mahout, Damodaran Nair, affectionately known as Omana. When Brahmadathan first arrived in Kerala, he did not understand Malayalam commands. While conventional training often relied on the stick, Damodaran Nair chose the path of love. He learned Hindi to communicate with the tusker while slowly teaching him Malayalam. The two developed such a profound mutual trust that they walked side-by-side without the need for a bullhook. Damodaran Nair only carried the hook at crowded festivals to reassure the public.

This bond was cemented in a heroic incident at the Vadanappally Ganeshamangalam temple festival. During the event, an accompanying elephant ran amok and attacked another tusker. The attacked elephant stumbled and knocked Damodaran Nair to the ground, attempting to gore him as he lay helpless. Sensing the danger to his beloved handler, Brahmadathan intervened. He blocked the attacking elephant with his trunk, raised an alarm with a thunderous trumpet, and eventually charged at the violent animal, goring it in the flank to drive it away. Having escaped certain death, a tearful Damodaran Nair embraced and kissed his loyal companion in front of thousands of stunned onlookers.

A final farewell
Their friendship endured until June 2021, when the 74-year-old Damodaran Nair passed away. In a heart-wrenching moment that moved onlookers to tears, Brahmadathan was brought to Lakkatoor to pay his final respects to his lifelong companion, raising his trunk in a solemn farewell salute. Following the news of Brahmadathan’s tragic passing on Friday, hundreds of elephant lovers and locals from neighbouring districts gathered at Melampara to pay their last respects to the gentle giant who brought joy to Kerala's festival grounds for decades.