Elephants found in Kerala, the Indian Elephants, are one of three

recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant. Since 1986, Asian

Elephant has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population
has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated
to be 25,600 to 32,750 in the wild. The species is pre-eminently
threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.[1] Along
with a large population of wild elephants, Kerala has more than seven
hundred elephants in captivity. Most of them are owned by temples
and individual are used for religious ceremonies in and around the
temples,and some churches and mosques also, and a few elephants
work at timber yards. Elephants in Kerala are often referred to as the
"sons of the sahya"(cf. poem Sahyante Makan by Vyloppalli
Sreedhara Menon). As the State Animal, the elephant is featured on
the emblem of the Government of Kerala state, taken from the Royal
Arms of both Travancore and Cochin.
Elephants in the Festival:
Most[citation needed] of the Hindu temples in Kerala own elephants, the
majority of which are donated by devotees. The famous Guruvayur
temple has more than 60 elephants. The world's only Elephant Palace
is constructed in Punnattur Kotta, 3 km from the Guruvayur temple,
to house the temple's elephants. A famous elephant, named Guruvayur
Kesavan, belonged to this temple.
Almost all[citation needed] of the local festivals in Kerala include at least one
richly caparisoned elephant. Elephants carry the deity during annual
festival processions and ceremonial circumnambulations in the Hindu
temples. The temple elephants are decorated
with goldplated 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.
[4]
Seventeen elephants are engaged for the daily ceremonial rounds to
the accomplishment of Pancari Melam in Kudalmanikyam temple.
The headgear of seven of these elephants is made of pure gold and rest
of pure silver, which is unique to this temple.[citation needed]