Pallatt Brahmadathan, the 65-year-old famous temple elephant, died after a lightning strike near Erattupetta. Fans lovingly called him ‘Gaja Kaustubham’. He was a major crowd-puller at the Thrissur Pooram festival.
Pallatt Brahmadathan was a famous 65-year-old elephant. He entertained elephant lovers across Kerala with his grand presence at temple festivals. Sadly, a heavy lightning strike killed him near Erattupetta on Sunday evening.
The tragic incident happened around 5:30 PM on Sunday. Heavy rain and thunderstorms were lashing the Erattupetta area. The massive 10-foot-tall elephant was tied near his owner’s house in Melampara. His owner, Rajesh Pallatt, is the president of the Kerala Festival Coordination Committee. Lightning struck the elephant directly, and he died on the spot.
A star attraction at Thrissur Pooram
People originally brought Brahmadathan from Bihar to Kerala. He quickly won the hearts of lakhs of elephant fans across the state. His huge body and gentle nature made him very popular. Brahmadathan regularly took part in major temple festival processions in the state.
He was one of the top elephants at the world-famous Thrissur Pooram festival. The Paramekkavu Devaswom used him to carry the main deity’s idol during their late-night Pooram procession.
Fans called him ‘Gaja Kaustubham’
Brahmadathan was famous for his extremely calm and gentle behavior. Elephant lovers and festival fans lovingly gave him the title ‘Gaja Kaustubham Pallatt Brahmadathan’. He always brought a special charm to temple processions. His sudden death in a lightning strike has left temple boards, elephant lovers, and festival organizers in deep shock.