The mahouts and the temple elephants at the elephant camp are a disappointed lot as the pachyderms have been disallowed from bathing in the river close-by and the reason cited by the concerned authorities is that the bathing activity lured the wild from the forests.

According to a mahout, the elephants were permitted to take a dip in the river in the recent years but this activity was restricted this year. “The only reason that we requested the officials to choose Thekkampatty is because of the river. The river provides a sense of relief and joy to the elephants,” he said.

He further added that bathing relaxed the elephants and they enjoyed playing in water for hours. But the presence of a wild on the very first day of the camp triggered panic and the pathway has been closed with an electric fence restricting the entry of the mammals into the river.

However sources inside maintained that the restriction was pre-planned as the authorities had installed ten showers that would facilitate bathing. “The elephants would be taken for a small walk in the morning and then reach the shower and return to the camp after a bath,” they said.

The mahouts also lamented that the time allotted for bathing, which was less than half hour was too little.