This Sri Lankan Tusker is being provided with armed protection

Nadungamuwe Raja, The Sacred Elephant Who Walks With Armed Guards

Lots of viral media are being shared about a Sri Lankan tusker in a very recent time. The posts shared on this elephant show that some people are worshipping this tusker while others do feed him with some fruits. One of the noticed facts about this tusker is being provided with armed protection. The tusker is known as Nadungamuwe Raja, one of the sacred elephants that live in Sri Lanka. The photos have been taken on their way to Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple Tooth, Kandy) for Esala Perahera, one of the major Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka.

Along with a height of 10.5 feet (3.2 meters), Raja bears the vital signs the Holy Elephant of Dalalda Perahera should possess. Also, raja is the tallest tusker in Sri Lanka. Raja tusker has to travel 90km from his home place to take part in the Kandy Dalada pageant. Since Sri Lanka is a tropical country with hot climatic conditions, Raja walks during the nighttime.  The elephant takes three days to reach Kandy in August 30km per day. Unlike most of the countries in the world, Sri Lankan Government has allowed few private elephant owners to keep elephants in their houses. Harsha Dhammawijaya, the owner of the elephant said “In 2015 Nadungamuwe Raja Elephant almost crashed with a motorcyclist due to the responsiveness of the cyclists. After seeing the CCTV footage, the government contacted me and granted the armed security for the elephant”.

Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country where a majority of Buddhists live. Nadungamuwe Raja is considered a sacred animal. Among the 100 elephants who take part in the Dalada pageant, raja carries the Tooth relic of Lord Buddha, which is considered to be one of two sacred Buddhist things that belong to Sri Lankan Buddhists. Although there are few criticisms over the use of elephants for public events and the cruelty, it seems raja Elephant is considering this task as a precious one even if he is 65 years now.