NEW DELHI: A tame elephant ran amok at a Hindu religious festival, injuring over two dozen people in the South Indian state of Kerala. At least one of those injured is fighting death, according to a top police official. The elephant named Kalidasan, which was participating in a local festival known as Thrissur Pooram suddenly became hostile and was uncontrollable. It took the mahouts (elephant rider) at least 15 minutes to control it. Hundreds of devotees gathered at the popular festival panicked on seeing the elephant running in every which direction to avoid the mahouts. The devotees fled in panic and some fell down and were injured, the police official said. He said it took two mahouts 15 minutes to control the elephant. The more than two-century old tradition of Thrissur Pooram was held on Tuesday and is the biggest of all festivals in southern India. It is held in the Medam (mid-April to mid-May) month when the town hosts one of the largest assortment of people and elephants. Richly decorated elephants, at least 50 of them, pass through Thrissur town and are the main attraction of this festival which is now globally recognized. The elephants walk with their nettipattam (golden headdress), decorative bells and ornaments to the rhythmic beating of drums. The festival is also well known for the fireworks display with two rival groups representing the two divisions of Thrissur — Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi – competing with each other for a better display. The dazzling fire works start in the week hours of the morning and lasts for three-four hours.
