Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
A Gajamela is a procession of caparisoned elephants–a feast for the eyes of Indian elephant lovers. In Kerala this means a spectacular show of the beautifully adorned creatures. They are so well-loved that the Gajamelas have became the most popular and most eye-catching events of Kerala. The elephant Pambadi Rajan won the 2014 elephant awards (Ittithanam Gajarajapattam). Pambadi Rajan is the one of the tallest elephant in Kerala.
Pambadi Rajan
Organikos 
Elephants belong in sanctuaries when they cannot be returned to the wild.
Hi Sharon, it’s a complicated issue, isn’t it? There’s such a long history in India of a strange blend of reverance and exploitation of elephants. Part of the training in some of the rehabilitation centers includes the lifting and bowing of the trunk in front of a temple. It will be interesting to see how the government enforces any restrictions on elephant participation in festivals, etc., especially in Kerala!