Temple Elephant

Temple elephants are a type of captive elephant. Many major temples own elephants; others hire or are donated elephants during the festive seasons. Temple elephants are usually wild animals, poached from the forests of North East India from wild herds at a young age and then sold into captivity to temples. Their treatment in captivity has been the subject of controversy and condemnation by some,New documentary exposes abuse of India's sacred elephants
/ref> while others claim that elephants form a vital part of the socio-economic framework of many temple ceremonies and festivals in India, particularly in the South.

The largest elephant stable in India is Punnathurkotta of the temple of Guruvayur; it has about 59 captive elephants; it currently houses 58 captive elephants, of which 53 are adult males and 5 are females.

Gallery on elephants

File:Painted temple elephant - Kanchipuram.jpg, Painted temple elephant - Kanchipuram.
File:Hampi, India, Temple elephant of Virupaksha Temple, Lakshmi.jpg, Temple elephant of Virupaksha Temple, Lakshmi
Image:temple elephant 2.jpg, The temple elephant carries the idol of the Lord of Virupaksha. The procession goes around to receive the offerings from the devotees. Location Hampi, Karnataka.
Image:Thrippunithura-Elephants2 crop.jpg, Caparisoned elephants during Sree Poornathrayesa temple festival.
Image:Thrippunithura-Elephants9 crop.jpg, Caparisoned elephants during Sree Poornathrayesa temple festival.

See also

* Animal worship
* Guruvayur Keshavan
* Thrissur Pooram

References

External links

Temple Elephants Video
A short QuickTime video of Elephants from Tiruvannamalai, Sri Rangam and elsewhere.

{{Elephants

Elephants
Elephants in Indian culture
Elephants in Hinduism
Domesticated animals
Livestock