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by Derrick Schokman

I was dismayed to learn from a recent newspaper report that due to a shortage of tame elephants, the Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy was contemplating purchasing elephants from Myanmar to participate in the famous Esala Perahera.

And when the report stated that he had to "borrow" the tusker from the Gangaramaya Vihara to carry the casket (karanduwa) of Sacred relics, my thoughts went back to Raja who did this for over 30 long years.

In my mind's eye I can still see Raja in his ceremonial batik attire, comprised a gorgeous jacket (ath hattaya) trunk covering (honda wesma) head covering (hiswesuma) ear whisks (kan wesuma) anklets (gigiri walalu) and a pair of bells.

He was an aweinspring sight walking majestically on white cloth (pavada) under a white canopy, the focus of all attention that drew cries of "sadhu sadhu" for the sacred relics he carried.

In ancient times elephants were classified according to caste. Not derived from heredity as in humans, but according to casual features. The noblest among tame elephants belonged to the Chaddanta caste - all of them tuskers.

Raja was born in 1925 according to traditional elephant experts, he possessed the rare Maha Gaja Lakshana physical characteristics that put him in the aristocratic class.

Or in other words, Raja was a "hathpolaya", having seven parts of his body touching the ground when standing - his four legs, trunk, tail and extruded male organ. They predicted that he was destined for greatness.

T. B. M. Dissawe, who bought Raja for Rs. 3000 - today you cannot buy a pedigreed puppy for that price - gifted him to the Dalada Maligawa on 31 July, 1937, along with another elephant called Skanda.

A simple ceremony accompanied their presentation. The two elephants,with T. B. M. Dissawe walking between them, mounted the temple steps and went up to the Diyawadena Nilame or Lay Administrator of the Temple, who was waiting to receive them. The two elephants crossed trunks on being presented to him, and Raja trumpeted.

That very year both Raja and Skanda took part in the Maligawa procession. The Karanduwa with the relics was carried by Maharaja, also known as Dhathloota. It was not until the 1950s that Raja was given that honour. From them on he carried the casket year after year until he died in 1987.

Raja was stuffed and preserved as a national heritage for the role he so admirably played in the world's greatest Buddhist festival.

You can see his stuffed remains in the Temple precincts, a noble Chaddanta with a flat back just right for carrying the casket, and a pair of magnificent tusks.

If Raja had lived to carry the casket in the current Esala procession he would have been 77 years old.

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