Tourists Flock Mudumalai To Meet Elephant Whispers Raghu And Ammu
The baby animal in the Oscar winning documentary Elephant Whisperers is attracting a huge number of tourists from across the globe. Mudumalai Theppakadu Elephant Camp was thrilled to witness so many visitors. The camp is a famous attraction where visitors can feed, interact with, and learn about the behaviour of elephants.
A male-only three months old got lost in a forest fire. All attempts by forest officials to reunite him with his pack fail. The officials are wondering what to do with the baby elephant who is only three months old.
It cannot survive without its mother. Eventually, they find another love that can replace motherly love. The forest department is entrusting the custody of the baby elephant to a couple. That’s how a middle-aged couple who belong to the wild dog category named Boman and Belly get to raise him like a mission.
They named him ‘Raghu’. They wake him up at night and give him milk in a big bottle. He will be spoken to with affection. Take a bath. It will be taken in the temple. Prasad will be served immediately. He would go into the forest all day long and collect whatever he needed.
At night they sleep waiting for his voice. Sometimes not sleeping. The scenes of those three souls bound by love are heart-touching.
All combinations have a demise. Similarly, when the forest department finally asks him back after a certain age, they release him with heart-breaking pain. By that time, another worm joins them to raise them. A baby named ‘Ammu’.
Ammu is more loving than Raghu. The documentary, Elephant Whispers, ends with a delightful scene of her braiding her hair on both sides and tying a ribbon. This documentary was suggested to me by my sister-in-law who knew I would like it.
Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, a young woman from Ooty, known as the Queen of Hills. This beautiful poem deals with the sacred interrelationship between man, nature, and non-human entities. This harrowing and touchingly innocent documentary won the Oscar for Best Short Film this year.
There are small resorts and homestays available in Mudumalai, and luxury guest house with 8 room which can be booked as a whole guest house inside the forest. Visit package tour to Mudumalai to see the baby Jumbo.
