A tearful goodbye for the ‘prince of elephants’: Heartbroken trainer refuses to leave his companion’s side after animal used in Indian temple processions for years, dies at the age of 44
- The trainer of elephant Cherpulassery Parthan was unable to contain his grief
- Footage shows man cry uncontrollably as ceremony is conducted for the animal
- Trainer continues to wail and refuses to leave his animal’s side in Kerala, India
This is the heartbreaking moment a trainer is unable to contain his grief at the sight of his recently deceased elephant companion.
The footage, captured in Kerala, India, shows the trainer of Cherpulassery Parthan, one of the most admired elephants in the region, refuse to leave the animal’s side during a ceremony for the dead animal.
The 44-year-old mammal, known by locals as ‘the prince of elephants’, had been used throughout the state for Indian temple processions.
The trainer is unable to contain his grief as he desperately clings on to this elephant companion in Kerala, India
During the video, the unnamed trainer, also known as a mahout, wails uncontrollably as he clings onto the elephant’s head.
A man standing beside the inconsolable trainer tries to pull him away from his beloved elephant as the trainer presses his head against the animal.
The grieving man continues to hold onto the dead elephant as more locals gather around and try to pull him away.
As the ceremony continues and flower petals are thrown onto the dead elephant, the man continues to wail and refuses to leave his animal’s side.
According to local reports, Cherpulassery Parthan died after treatment for an illness.
A man stood beside the trainer tries to pull him away from the dead animal as spectators watch on
More men gather around the grieving trainer and try to pull him away from Cherpulassery Parthan
It is unclear how long the mahout and the elephant had spent together.
Mahouts, who are often seen throughout southern and southeastern Asia, usually enter the profession as boys and are assigned an elephant early in its life.
Both keeper and elephant are believed to keep a deep and lifelong bond with one another.
As well as being an iconic creature among tourists and an integral part of Kerala’s culture, elephants remain a holy animal in India and are often depicted as being the embodiment of the Hindu god Ganesh.
In 1986, elephants were also classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.