Sreedhar, Vijayakrishnan and Sinha, Anindya
(2021)
The blind men and the elephant: Reflections on captive elephant management in Kerala, southern India.
In:
The SOAS Elephant Reader: The History, Current Situation, and Future Prospects of Elephants and Elephant Cultures around the World.
RN Books, London, pp. 115-125.
Full text not available from this repository.
| Abstract: |
Elephants, as living forms of the elephant-headed god Ganesha, have been
revered across south Asia, particularly India, where they have served humanity in various
ways, ranging from battlefields to temples, over generations, across centuries. In the
southern Indian state of Kerala, these animals have been symbols of aristocracy, wherein
the elite class reared elephants, tuskers in particular, for their aesthetic value and as
symbols of their own social status. They have also played a crucial role in temple
festivities as the holy idol-bearers in most pageantries across the state. Over the years,
however, the status of elephants has degenerated, and they are now widely exploited as
money-spinners, with increasing commercial interests largely ignoring their wellbeing.
Increased workloads and unprecedented conflict incidents are now commonplace, stark
evidence of the overall decline in their welfare standards in captivity. Through an
analysis of historic practices and empirical information on the current conundrums facing
the captive Asian elephant, this essay suggests plausible management reforms that could
be implemented to ensure the long-term survival of the species and the sustenance of the
once-unique human–elephant relationship in Kerala. We also emphasise the importance
of a holistic approach in understanding and mitigating the immediate problems facing the
captive elephant and its human communities, rather than replicating the blinding,
piecemeal actions akin to those of the six proverbial men and their elephan |
| Item Type: |
Book Chapter
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| Subjects: |
School of Natural and Engineering Sciences > Animal Studies |
| Divisions: |
Schools > Natural Sciences and Engineering |
| Date Deposited: |
19 Feb 2026 09:39 |
| Last Modified: |
19 Feb 2026 09:39 |
| Official URL: |
https://www.geocities.ws/theelephantreader/vijayak... |
| Related URLs: |
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| Funders: |
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| Projects: |
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| DOI: |
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| URI: |
http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/3173 |
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