Ayurveda treatment for elephant

When almost all the domesticated elephants in the state are engaged in timber operations, the elite elephants in Guruvayur Punnayurkotta are undergoing rejuvenation therapy.

Guruvayur devasom board has earmarked a sum of Rs. 6.50 lakhs for the annual therapy of its inmates at Punnayurkotta. Now there are 72 elephants in Punnayurkotta.

Rejuvenation therapy for the elephants in Punnathurkotta goes on for thirty days. During this time, a set of ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are given to the elephants.

Ayuurvedic physicians are in the charge of rejuvenation therapy. Physicians divide the elephants into three group based on their weight.

The elephants which are weighed above 4500 kgs are in the first group. The second group consists of elephants weighed between 4500 kilograms and 3000 kilograms. The third category consists of elephants below 3000 kilograms.

On the days of this treatment elephants are made to bath a in the morning. This three-hour bathing itself is an important part of treatment as rubbing the body with coconut fiber increases the blood circulation.

Diets of elephants during theraphy period include rice, greengram, horse gram, chyvanaprasham ashtachoornam, turmeric powder, salt and ragi. Quantity of these medicines varies between the different categories.. An ayurvedic mineral mixture is also given to animals during these days.

Elephants are given full rest. However some of the elephants are taken to the Sreekrishna temple in the evenings for the "ezhunillippu".

Punnayurkotta owned by Punnathur king was gifted to Guruvayur Devasom Board in 1972. It is hardly three kilometers away from Guruvayur Sreekrishna temple.