Elephants and tuskers, from near and far, had gathered in Colombo for the city’s majestic cultural pageant, the Navam Maha Perahera. Every move the gentle giants made entertained the crowds. It was after all a golden opportunity to see an entire herd of jumbos in the centre of Colombo.
The vast Stanley Janz Playground in Kompanna Veediya, Colombo transforms into an elephant gathering on full moon day in February every year when a herd of trumpeting elephants storm its field.
The sounds that normally emanate from this playing field, of the ball hitting the bat, of spectators cheering, of children laughing as they glide down the mat slide or climb aboard the mini merry go round in the play area, are all hushed. The jumbos begin to audibly make their presence felt with their siren calls and assert their status.
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Kelanie loves to be bathed but also scrubbed and lies on the ground for a good brush up
They were here on invitation, by temple decree and the ground had been especially reserved for them, much in advance. After all they are the crowd pullers, the stars of the great pageant held at night on the streets of Colombo, as it had been held continuously for nearly four decades. They had come to participate in the Navam Maha Perahera of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo every year in the month of February.
The jumbos arrive early in the morning, one by one, with their own mahout, each chauffeur driven to the site. They come to the site from near and far. From Kotte, Gampaha, Kegalle, Aluthgama, Kandy, Kelaniya and many other parts of the country. A few years ago most of them had walked the distance. This had been too tiring for both elephant and mahout. But today the Temple has made arrangements so that they come by lorry which is a safer, easier and faster way to reach the capital. Elephants of all sizes – small, medium, large and extra large gather here, while a few even have tusks. For those in Colombo, a visit to the Stanley Janz Playground to meet these gentle giants is a golden opportunity.
On one such visit, I met Gune, an elephant who comes early morning from Kurunegala accompanied by his two mahouts Sarath and Kumara and the wife of one as they have done for many years. They will all come in a lorry. After having the customary bath, he munches his daily diet, which is 300 kilos of fodder and 50 litres of water.
The Navam Maha Perahera began in 1979, under the helm of Ven Galboda Gnanissara Thero of the Gangaramaya Temple. This year The procession will be on February 28 and March 1
The 24-year-old Sundaree enjoyed her bath tremendously, watered down by her mahout Ramesh. Kelanie, from Kelaniya insisted on going down on the ground – being the pampered girl that she is – and demands not only to be bathed but also to be scrubbed. Amongst the many elephants gathered, were Seedevi – the elder, and Kumari – the younger, who bathe together.
Sundaree enjoys a refreshing bath
Kumari the younger and Seedevi the elder bathe together
At first sight, they appear to be mother and daughter. But, they happen to share the same grassland for leisure and feeding back home in Kithulgala, and as a result have formed a special relationship, which connects them together.
The 32-year-old Gal Kiriya, travels all the way from Kegalle. Now, as his mahout Simon Singho warned, this is a mischief-maker and beneath the demeanour of a friendly nature, he hides a fiery temper and can without notice lash out with his trunk.
Gal Kiriya, the giant from Kegalle munches on a crunchy meal
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