“Surrounded by the burgeoning human population, Asian elephants have to contend with the spread of settlements and farming and the demand of rapidly developing nations: plantations, mines, railways and irrigation canals have carved up former wilderness.” -Mark Shand
THE BIG WIN!
For Kartiki Gonsalves, a documentary filmmaker, a single moment that became infinite was when she conceptualized “The Elephant Whisperers” as she witnessed an elephant calf, Raghu walking alongside a man, Bomman, going down to the river for a bath. A beautiful journey of five long years that encountered self-doubt, uncertainty at times, since its inception, was rewarded on the 12th of March 2023 at the Academy Awards as it won the Best Documentary Short Film at Oscars 2023!
RAGHU & HIS CAREGIVERS - BOMMAN & BELLIE
Located in Mudumalai Forest Reserve of Tamil Nadu in India, the story revolves around an orphaned elephant – Raghu and two members of the Kattunayakar Tribe named Bomman and his wife, Bellie and the unique bond they share. Bomman who worked at the Theppakadu Elephant Camp, which is also the oldest elephant camp in Asia, was given the responsibility to become a caregiver for a critically injured, orphaned elephant calf whose tail was bitten off by wild dogs and infested with maggot wounds.
THE UNBREAKABLE BOND
Raising him like their own child, hand-feeding him, massaging his wounds, playing and communicating with him, Bomman and Bellie rose to the occasion as parents who gave it their all to provide this calf a fighting chance at survival. To them, he was godsend as Raghu helped Bellie cope with the loss of her daughter from her previous marriage to helping her get over her fear of wild animals and the forest.
THE HEARTBREAK
As the family of three welcomed a new addition to their tribe - a young female elephant named Ammu, their tribe grew. When Raghu was around 4-5 years old, he had to bid farewell to Bomman and Bellie as he was given to another mahout which was heart breaking to watch. But, despite living separately, even today Raghu responds when Bomman and Bellie call him out – such is the strength of their bond.
COEXISTENCE
The relationship between humans and elephants has transformed over time - from being the beasts of burden to being a “burden” to the farming community, from being beasts of war to representing peace, revered as equivalent to the Hindu God - Ganesha, yet poached for tusks or harmed because of their association with crop depredation and disrupted livelihood – they still remain an integral part of our lives and ecosystem that anthropogenic activities have taken from them. That is where we need the knowledge of the indigenous tribe where the culture to care about wild animals have been passed on through generations and provides them clarity on importance of existence of the wild. It is as much our land as its theirs and for coexistence it is essential that we respect their landscape and acknowledge their presence.
Think we missed out on something? Tell us about it in the comments below. Or write about it here on Tripoto and earn Tripoto Credits!
Be a part of the largest online community of travellers on Tripoto’s Facebook page!