Anakottil: Kerala’s Unique Sanctuary for Elephants
Love Elephants? Then you have one more reason to love Kerala…because Elephants are an integral part of life here. Elephants are loved, revered and groomed and given a prestigious place in the state’s colourful cultural space. There are many places where one can go elephant spotting in Kerala…but we would like to draw your attention to one place that beats them all- the Anakottil- a one of its kind elephant sanctuary.
Sprawling over 10 acres of land about three kilometres north of the famous temple and pilgrimage centre dedicated to the Hindu God Krishna at Guruvayur in Kerala is Punnathur Kotta or Anakottil, a rare elephant sanctuary and perhaps the only one of its kind in the world.
The sanctuary currently houses 64 of these pachyderms. What’s exciting about a visit to the sanctuary is the fact that you are able to see so many of these mammoth creatures in one place, and watch them being bathed and fed and trained.
Unlike in other tourist spots, you cannot mount an elephant or play with them. But nowhere else can you see so many of these animals together. Many tourists flock here every day. Artists come here from different parts of the world to etch pictures of these magnificent beasts, while other camera toting tourists come here to capture them in the digital format. The sanctuary also has a mahout training school.
Each elephant in the sanctuary has 3 mahouts who look after it methodically. They bathe the animals, massaging them with small rocks or the husk of coconuts, trim their nails, polish their tusks, and feed them at regular intervals. The elephants also undergo ayurvedic rejuvenation treatment at the hands of experts once every year.
Visitors to Kerala cannot afford to miss this opportunity to be in close proximity with these social, intelligent animals.
Call Kerala Travel Centre today on Freephone 0808 178 9799 to discuss the inclusion of Anakottil - one of Kerala’s (in fact the world’s) rare elephant sanctuaries on your Kerala holiday . Discover the countless delights that Kerala has to offer and be sure to watch the state’s official animal up and close at the Anakottil.
