Glory of our Majestic Tuskers

3.1K

Nadungamuwe Raja parading the street.

If there is one animal that reflects strength, majesty and intelligence it is the Asian elephant. Elephants have been respectfully associated with Sri Lanka for centuries. Irrespective of religion and ethnicity most Sri Lankans love elephants, and tuskers in particular. Our beautiful elephants have a way of wielding their charm, be it in the wild or in Sacred Buddhist temples.

The majestic aura and intelligence of these amazing Sri Lankan elephants were subsequently integrated into cultural and religious pageants. It is opined that the tradition of the Sri Dalada Perahera can be traced to King Kithsiri Mevan of Anuradhapura.

The oral tradition from ancient Ceylon states that King Keerthi Sri Rajasinha is the founder of the Kandy Perahera. This is one night that rejuvenates the ancient Kingdom of Kandy to its bygone glory, delighting local and foreign visitors. The use of caparisoned elephants in religious festivals has been part of Sri Lankan-Buddhist culture. The elephant symbolism in Buddhism is a sign of strength, honour, patience, peacefulness, and wisdom. The white elephant, according to Buddhist belief, represents the penultimate incarnation of Gautama Buddha before he was born to Queen Maya.

Elephants were often used as a symbol of religion during King Ashoka’s time (272-232 BCE) in India. The association of elephants with Buddhism has been depicted in art and architecture since ancient times, in India and Sri Lanka. Animals have always been regarded in Buddhist thought as sentient beings.

The origin of the use of elephants in Buddhist processions and festivals in Sri Lanka dates back to the period of the introduction of Buddhism to the country by Most Ven. Arahanth Mahinda Thera, during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The 13th Century Sinhala book on the history of Buddhist religious offerings titled Pujavaliya was taken in procession on the back of the royal elephant as veneration by order of the king.

Two regal pachyderms

Raja (also known as Maligawa Raja (1913 – 1988) was a Sri Lankan tusker belonging to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy. Raja participated at the annual Esala procession in Kandy for nearly 50 years. My first memory of him was made as a child. He was a friendly tusker and children could always respectfully approach him. He captivated the hearts of millions of Sri Lankans. We were blessed by the dedicated service of this tusker. He was one of the most celebrated elephants in Asia during his lifetime, and was venerated for his noble behaviour. Raja was very obedient. He always affectionately respected Buddhist priests. There are many stories of his intelligent and calm behaviour. His death was a loss to the nation.

The Sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa has always treated the tuskers under its jurisdiction with great care, and continues to do so upholding the highest Buddhist values. This glorious Buddhist temple takes pride in its tuskers. The Dalada Sirita, compiled during the time of King Parakramabahu IV, is a manual of 38 statutes regarding the Perahera of the Tooth Relic. Among the rules is a description of the procedure to be followed at a procession held during public displays of the Tooth Relic.

Nadungamuwa Raja was another beloved tusker who served this nation with much pomp and decorum. This intelligent and amiable tusker was cared for and looked after by Dr. Dharmavijaya, a famous Ayurveda physician, just like his late father who was also a physician. This tusker had been in the care of this kind family since 1978. Nadungamuwa Raja was born in India in 1954 and belonged to a Maharaja. The Maharaja had become seriously ill and a native physician monk from Ceylon travelled there to cure him. Once he recovered the grateful Maharaja rewarded the monk of Nilammahara with two baby elephants. Subsequently Raja became part of the Dharmavijaya family and was known as Nadungamuwe Raja, denoting the village in Gampaha. It was my privilege to see this wonderful tusker on many occasions. Since his death I miss him immensely, but he will live in our hearts.

Nadungamuwe Raja belonged to a clan of Asian elephants known locally as Saddhantha Kula (meaning magnificent tribe) and displayed the characteristic hathpolaya – seven features that define this unique elephant caste. Even as a young elephant he was impressive, standing at ten-and-a-half feet, a giant in comparison to the others. His long tusks enriched his majestic appeal. For decades he had been under the loving care of his mahout Wilson Koddithuwakku, an amiable man of few words. Wilson, with decades of experience, perfectly understood the body language of this tusker. The deep bond between this mahout and tusker was like that of a loving father and child.

Temple tuskers

Last year I was able to visit the Sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa, and observe the role and task of the ‘ath panthiya’ (the resident tuskers). The chief tusker who represents this magnificent temple is Indi Raja. The other tuskers seen at that time were tuskers Sinha Raja, Jana Raja, Migara, Kaveri Raja, Myan Raja and Pulasthi Raja.

The tusker Indi Raja was donated to the Dalada Maligawa in 1989 aged seven years. He was assigned for Perahera duty when he reached 18 years of age. Indi Raja was donated by the late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. As the resident chief tusker of the Dalada Maligawa, Indi Raja has carried the Karanduwa on many occasions. I was truly privileged to touch this magnificent tusker. The honour of carrying the Sacred Karanduwa has also been bestowed on Heiyanthuduwa Raja, Wewaladeniye Raja and Bellanwila Raja on some occasions.

The use of tuskers is a timeless tradition in Sri Lanka. In keeping with tradition, the elephants at the annual Esala Perahera march in a predetermined order. The Peramune Rala (Officer of the Vanguard) takes the lead position riding his elephant. He is followed by Gajanayake Nilame, the man in charge of all the participating elephants. This temple official is followed by the Kalugamuwa Vidane – the solemn bearer of the Buddhist flag, as he rides a tusker. The Kalugamuwa Vidane has an important task. He is the person in charge of the designated riders, who will sit atop the tuskers and elephants during the procession. The Gurudeniya Vidane is the official in charge of placing the precious Karanduwa on the tusker.

One of the important routines of elephant care is their bath. Bathing an elephant looks like fun to a visitor, but the mahout has lots of hard work. He must observe the temperament of the animal in the water. Scrubbing down a large tusker and washing his tusks requires skill, patience and care. It takes years to bond with a tusker. Asian elephants can understand a wide range of verbal commands from their mahouts. All the tuskers serving the Sri Dalada Maligawa receive the professional inspection by a veterinarian attached to the Peradeniya Veterinary Science Faculty. In keeping with their natural behaviour, the tuskers come into musth, which can last from three weeks to three months. During this time they are given rest and treated with greater care.

Buddhism has a strong ethical belief in respect for all life. The Asian elephant has been considered an auspicious animal. Whenever we see a temple tusker passing on the road we offer some fruits, with the permission of the mahout. We do this because we love and respect our tuskers. Sri Lankans take pride in their tuskers, and they will be an important element in the Buddhist culture of this nation.

Dishan Joseph