Perumparamba, a village in Kerala’s Malappuram district, is treated to a delightful spectacle almost every evening. An unleashed elephant strolls down the road, accompanied by a frail man and his mahout owner. The elephant’s goad is no longer in her hand. On closer inspection, you can see the trunk wrapped around the goad, as if she were holding a toy. The villagers make comments to each other – it’s like two friends taking an evening stroll. There’s also her favourite haunt – a shop where she stops for two chocolate bars and a pineapple.
Known as ‘Perumparambu Kaveri’, the elephant is not only a beloved presence in the village, she also has a huge fan base in Malappuram. The touching story of Kaveri’s bond with her owner Mohammed Shimil has struck a chord with animal lovers, chronicled through short videos on YouTube (47,000 subscribers) and Instagram. On social media, she is known as ‘Ikkante Swantham Kaveri’. This popularity even prompted Shimil to organise a fan meet recently. He receives gifts for her from all over Kerala.
Five years ago, when Shimil first saw Kaveri in Adimali, he was moved. She was a weak, malnourished elephant who would neither eat nor take medicine. He simply could not leave her like that. Everyone discouraged him. She would not survive, she would be a burden, he was told. He bought her and took her home.
Shimil took Kaveri to his breeding farm located next to his house in Perumparamba and gave her proper care. Within a month, the elephant’s condition improved. She overcame her anger issues, started eating well and regained her health.
“Initially, she was aggressive towards me. However, I gave myself enough time to understand her, her moods, feelings and problems. To my surprise, she understood me faster,” says Shimil.
Shimil says Kaveri always needs him by her side. “If I am not there, she refuses to eat or drink and shows signs of irritation and anger. She even gets invited to events and rituals now, and I have bought a caravan just to accompany her,” he says. Shimil limits Kaveri’s travel to 100 km. “Sending her further would be too much. She has to stand in the truck for such long journeys, and it would tire her out.”
The sight of an unchained elephant roaming the village hardly causes panic. “It is free to enter any private property in the village without causing any harm, as it eats only wild grass, not crops. It grazes till its stomach is full and then returns home on its own. No one needs to take it home,” says Shimil.
Shimil has another bull elephant at home, Parthasaradhi, whom he bought eight years ago. “There are keepers for both elephants, though I hesitate to call them mere mahouts. They have been with me for years out of a deep love for animals,” says Shimil.
Kaveri has participated in many rituals in temples in and around Malappuram, always accompanied by Shimil. He can be seen elegantly dressed in a dhoti and shirt alongside Kaveri during these ceremonies. Social media users often comment on this unique spectacle, describing it as a symbol of the secularism adopted in Malappuram.
Kaveri, being one of the largest female elephants in Kerala, is a regular guest in the temples of Malappuram where the deities are goddesses.
“Even my family jokes that I love Kaveri more than them now; she is truly a part of our family. The only problem is that I can’t take holidays because Kaveri doesn’t allow me to be away for more than a day. Often, my wife and son stay with me because of this. Yes, my wife is a little sad about it, but she loves Kaveri too,” smiles Shimil.
Five years ago, when Shimil first saw Kaveri in Adimali, he was moved. A weak, malnourished elephant who would neither eat nor take medicine. He simply could not leave her like that. Photo: Special arrangement.
It’s not just about elephants Shimil is not just about elephants. From a college student in Bengaluru who once kept three cows in the two-wheeler parking area of his rented apartment, the 30-year-old has become the owner of an animal farm in Malappuram. “My passion for animals started at a very young age, when I started taking care of fish,” he recalls. Despite his parents’ initial reluctance to have pets at home, Shimil would rescue kittens abandoned on their way to school, sheltering them secretly in the garden amidst firewood.
Everyone expected a change when Shimil went to Bengaluru for his Bachelor of Business Administration course, but he surprised everyone. “There was an old woman nearby who had several cows,” he said. “After college, I used to spend time with these animals. Eventually, I got permission from the owner of the building where I lived to keep two cows and a calf in the two-wheeler parking area of our apartment.”
Things took a different turn when Shimil’s father, a businessman, suddenly fell ill. Shimil soon returned to Malappuram, ending his studies in the third year.
And the cows? “I bought a Bolero. I took the calf with me in the Bolero and transported the two cows in another van. They have been with me at home ever since,” Shimil explains.
“At first, my parents didn’t allow me to bring them home due to lack of space. So I kept the cows in a shed near a rice paddy behind our office. Later, when we moved to a new house outside the city, I set aside a large space for raising the animals.”
Shimil has expanded his farm to include a wide variety of animals, including horses, buffalo, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and other birds. “We even have a peacock that comes to visit us regularly,” he says.
At one time, Shimil owned 30 horses, and he currently owns nine, demonstrating his expertise in horsemanship with several race victories. Although he briefly gave riding lessons, he eventually stopped them. There were even camels at one point. Shimil is also known for rescuing stray dogs, earning him recognition from the Animal Husbandry Department for his efforts.
