‘The Elephant Whisperers’, a documentary short film directed by Karthiki Gansalves, about the experience of a tribal couple who took turns raising and raising two baby elephants separated from their mother in the forest, has won an Oscar award. This is the first time that a documentary film made in India has won an Oscar. The entire documentary was shot at Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. Theppakkad has Asia’s largest domesticated elephant camp. Baby elephants rescued after being separated from their mothers in the forests, wild elephants that disturb residential areas are caught and cared for here.
Currently there are 23 elephants here. These elephants are maintained by Pagans belonging to the tribe. Last May 2017, a 3-month-old male baby elephant, which had entered the town after being separated from its mother, was rescued by dogs in Dhenkanikottai, Krishnagiri district, with injuries all over its body, including its tail. It was said to be difficult to survive. In this situation, Bagan Bomman, a tribal belonging to Theppakkad camp, went to Dhenkanikot and stayed there to take care of the baby elephant. As his health deteriorated slightly, Mudumalai was brought to the Theppakkad camp and named Raghu.
Then in the kraal (a wooden cage used to keep captured wild elephants) Bagan Pomman, a member of the Kattu Nayak tribe, and his wife Pelli stayed and looked after him 24 hours a day. Meanwhile, in September 2019, a female elephant cub was brought to Theppakadu camp after being separated from its mother in Sathyamangalam area. It was named Pommi (Ammu) and the forest department entrusted the task of maintaining it to Bomman and Pelli. This tribal couple became foster mother and father to Raghu and Pommi. Now Raghu is 7 years old and Bommi is 4 years old. Ooty-based documentary director Karthiki Gansalves made a documentary about a tribal couple who raised them as their own children for the past 7 years.
He has been living with Bomman and Belli for the past two years and has been making documentaries. This documentary short film titled ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ was released on OTT platform. That short film has now won an Oscar. The award was received by Ooty-based Karthiki Gansalves who directed the documentary and Kuneeth Monga, the producer. The people of Nilgiri district are celebrating Bomman, Pelli, the director and the producer after hearing the news that the documentary about the experiences of a tribal couple from Mudumalai who took care of baby elephants after their mother has been awarded an Oscar. They are also proud that their district has got a name on the world stage.
Following the award for the documentary, a large number of media from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have been recording the experiences of Belli, who camped at Mudumalai and took care of the Bommi elephant. Belli, who traveled with Bommi for a few years as a temporary kavadi (helper), is now resting at home with memories of living with baby elephants. The tribal people met him and even though they did not know what the award was, they asked if he had received the award and congratulated him.
Pelli’s interview about her experience of fostering baby elephants: The first time I went to work caring for elephants was when the baby elephant was brought by Raghu. I was a little scared at first. Then there is no fear. Elephants are not just elephants as you think. A figure of total affection. If you practice affection, a thousand times more affection will be showered on us in return. We placed Raghu and Bommi one step above the bed.
We are too tired to sleep on laps. Even if I have diarrhea or vomiting, I will wipe it clean with a bandage. Let’s take a bath with hot water only. My husband Pomman will be the first to know that there is a baby elephant without a mother. Without thinking about anything, he would leave at any time. The song we played to save Raghu cannot be told. Similarly, they brought the baby elephant Ammu. Very small baby. Even the color for the elephant was pink. We were worried about how to save.
With the salary given to me in the forest department, we bought and sold milk and fruit. Can’t go away for a second. The scream of the knife will gather the village. They have provided all the facilities in the forest department. Somehow we managed to save both. It is heartbreaking to see cubs without a mother. They filmed our experience. Now we are happy that it has received an award. Belli said so.
* Unexpected welcome
Bagan Bomman said, ‘Following my grandfather and father, now I am the 3rd generation working in the forest department as an elephant bagan. My wife is also working in the same camp. We have taken care of many elephants and baby elephants and released them back into the wild. Even now, we are taking care of an old elephant. Director Karthiki Gonçalves has very sensitively recorded our lifestyle and relationship with elephants in the documentary “The Elephant Whisperers”.
My wife and I have been filming our day-to-day camping. We never expected our story to get such a big response. The Oscars have been awarded, which brings great joy. “At present, we are engaged in the process of adding 2 baby elephants who are suffering from the loss of their mothers near Marandaalli in Dharmapuri district to the elephant herds,” he said.
* Tiger Reserve Deputy Director Perumitham
Deputy Director of Muthumalai Tiger Reserve, Vidya said, “Pelli, who took care of the baby elephants, was working as a temporary employee in the forest department. Her husband Bomman is a permanent employee. Although Belli is not currently in elephant care, she is allowed to visit the elephants whenever she wants. It is not allowed to keep the same elephant, the same pagan, assistant for a long time. We will transfer at regular intervals. Accordingly Pomman is also taking care of another elephant. “I am happy that the documentary about Mudumalai baby elephants and tribal couples has received an award,” he said.
* Oscar Baughan on Desperate Cubs Field
Recently, in Dharmapuri district, elephants got caught in the electric fence and died after entering the agricultural land. While its two cubs are suffering from the loss of their mother, Bagan Pomman is engaged in the task of caring for them until they have to be added to another herd of elephants. It is worth noting that Pomman is involved in the work of caring for elephants even when the news came that the documentary he was a part of has won an Oscar.