Chengallur Ranganathan

Chengallur Ranganathan was an elephant lived in Kerala known for being the tallest elephant ever lived in the state.[1] With an height of 347 cm, Ranganathan is considered as the tallest Asian elephant ever lived till the date, which gives him the coveted title "One and Only Ranganathan".[2]

Ranganathan early belonged to the Srirangam temple in Tamil Nadu. Due to financial problems, the temple authority decided to sell the elephant and in 1905, Parameswaran Namboothiri in Chengallur Mana, Thrissur bought Ranganathan for Rs 1500 after seeing a newspaper advertisement. During the Arattupuzha Pooram uprising of 1914, Ranganathan was carrying the coffin of the host Arattupuzha Sastha. Ranganathan fell after being stabbed by his accomplice Akaoor Govindan.[3] Ranganathan, who was exhausted from the attack was rushed to Anthikkad Chengallore Mana for various treatments but to no avail. He later died on 1917. Ranganathan is described in the book 'Chengalloorana' written by famous poets including the great poet Vallathol. The Archaeological Museum in Thrissur houses the decades-old skeleton of Ranganathan.[4]