Hundreds pay tribute, bid goodbye to gentle giant Brahmadathan

ALL roads seemed to lead to Melambara, near Kottayam, as hundreds of people, including Christian priests and scores of elephant lovers, made a beeline on Monday to bid a final farewell to 'Pallatt Brahmadathan', Kerala’s much-loved pachyderm that died after being struck by lightning.

For years, 'Brahmadathan' had been a familiar and much-loved presence not just on temple festival grounds but also beyond them.

At times, the gentle giant would visit churches too, winning the affection of people across communities.

On Monday, priests and ordinary people came to pay their final respects to the elephant they had grown fond of.

There was little of the usual festive noise. Instead, there was silence, grief and a stream of people wanting to have one last look at the 54-year-old elephant.

Brahmadathan died at around 6.30 p.m. on Sunday after lightning struck him while he was resting in a shed near the house of his owner, advocate Rajesh Pallatt, at Melambara.

For elephant lovers, his death was not merely the loss of another celebrated tusker. Kerala’s festival grounds had lost a familiar personality.

Standing 10 feet 2 inches tall, Brahmadathan combined an imposing presence with an unusually gentle temperament.

His broad forehead, heavy tusks, sandalwood coloured temples and majestic bearing made him a favourite wherever he went.

But it was his gentleness that people remembered most.

For nearly 25 years, he was accompanied by his mahout, Kunnakkattu Damodaran Nair of Lakkattoor, affectionately known as Omanachettan.

Their relationship was unlike an ordinary mahout-elephant bond.

Omanachettan believed Brahmadathan did not need to be restrained with chains.

Even when crowds gathered around him, he remained confident that the elephant would harm no one.

At the Pallatt family home, Brahmadathan was allowed to remain without being chained as long as Omanachettan could see him.

Even during temple festivals, the stick carried by the mahout was more for the confidence of spectators than for controlling the elephant.

The bond went beyond words.

Brahmadathan did not initially understand Malayalam, and Omanachettan learned Hindi to communicate with him.

In return, he taught the elephant Malayalam commands.

One incident became part of their legend. During a festival at Ganeshmangalam Temple in Vadanappally, another elephant, which had become unruly, came towards Omanachettan.

Brahmadathan reportedly intervened and protected his mahout, putting himself between the danger and the man he trusted.

When Omanachettan died in June 2021, Brahmadathan was taken to his house.

He raised his trunk in what appeared to be a final tribute to his old companion.

The sight left those present in tears.

Brahmadathan arrived in Kerala in 1999 from the forests of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, where he had been a kumki elephant.

He was brought to Puthuppally in Kottayam by Pothen Varghese and his brother Chacko and was known as Puthuppally Brahmadathan.

The Pallatt family acquired him in 2010, after which he became known as Pallatt Brahmadathan.

He went on to become a star of Kerala’s festival circuit, taking part in the Thrissur Pooram in 2015 and carrying the sacred idol during the Paramekkavu night Pooram in 2018.

Ettumanoor Ezhara Ponnana, Vaikom Ashtami, Thirunakkara, Sakthikulangara and Thodupuzha were among the other major festivals where his majestic presence was eagerly awaited.

He even had a ritual of his own. On returning from festivals, Brahmadathan would often be taken before Lord Krishna at Guruvayur, where he would raise his trunk in what devotees saw as a respectful salutation.

Fans called him ‘Saayippu’, ‘Pallatte Kutty’ and simply ‘Brahman’.

His popularity extended to social media, where an Instagram page dedicated to him attracted admirers.

On Monday, however, there were no festival lights, percussion or colourful caparisons.

There were only tearful eyes and folded hands.

And in the quiet that followed, Kerala is bidding goodbye to a gentle giant that had spent decades bringing grandeur to its festivals and affection to the hearts of people far beyond the temple grounds.