Welcome to kochi. This is one of the famous siva temple in kochi. The temple elephants are decorated with gold plated caparisons nettipattam, bells, and necklaces. People mounted on the elephants hold tinselled silk parasols muttukuda up high, swaying white tufts vencamaram and peacock feather fans alavattam to the rhythm of the orchestra. Each elephant has three mahouts, called paappan à ´ªà ´¾à ´ªà µÂà ´ªà ´¾à µ» in the Malayalam language. The most important duty of the mahouts is to bathe and massage the elephant with small rocks, and the husk of coconuts. In the monsoon season, the elephants undergo Ayurvedic rejuvenation treatments which include decoctions with herbs, etc. It is called Sukha Chikitsa in the Malayalam language. Mahouts may be classified into three types, called in the Sanskrit language:
Reghawan: Those who use love to control their elephants.
Yukthiman: Those who use ingenuity to outsmart them.
Balwan: Those who control elephants with his loud voice
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