# Elephant kills mahout-pic **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870 "2007-08-16T23:08:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/1 "2007-08-16T23:08:06Z")
[Link to picture](http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20070816014302&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0) What is the orange smudge angling down from the elephant’s face? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/2 "2007-08-16T23:18:06Z")
My guess would be dirt, or possibly bark from the tree it pushed over in the background. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/3 "2007-08-16T23:28:26Z")
Is that article supposed to be written in English? Those words! ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/4 "2007-08-16T23:33:43Z")
…I have no idea what I just read. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/5 "2007-08-16T23:40:23Z")
“Tusker” is the cutest term I’ve ever heard - even as it’s killing people! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/6 "2007-08-16T23:43:27Z")
[QUOTE=Push You Down] …I have no idea what I just read. [/QUOTE] I presume “First” and “Second” mahouts has some significance as how they rank in caring for the elephant, not a score on how many people the elephant was wasted. The elephant named Keerthi severaly injured one handler and killed another named Gopalakrishnan. It took a bunch of guys to calm the elephant down. ---
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/7 "2007-08-16T23:53:53Z")
Since the elephant was en route to a ritual, I would imagine the orange is some kind of markings. It looks vaguely like the markings I have seen on elephants in rituals before. Just a guess, though. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/8 "2007-08-17T00:42:30Z")
[QUOTE=Litoris] It looks vaguely like the markings I have seen on elephants in rituals before. [/QUOTE] I was referring to something that is in front of his face and covers the background; as something he had thrown up with his tusks. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/9 "2007-08-17T01:48:00Z")
Maybe it’s markings on his face as you suggest lining up with a tree trunk in the background. Crummy picture. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/10 "2007-08-17T01:50:02Z")
It’s saffron for decoration. More tomorrow when I have time. …Ok, I guess I have a minute, too. The pic is tiny but it looks like saffron thy use for blessings and decoration in India. Google “tikka” or “tika” and you’ll find it. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/11 "2007-08-17T01:50:12Z")
Is it just me or do elephants look larger when they’re going to war? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/12 "2007-08-17T01:55:35Z")
No time to code, I’m afraid. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/127/414418299_b4cc7fdcdd_b.jpg "Elephant festival") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/34446572@N00/414418299/) [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/127/414418299_b4cc7fdcdd_b.jpg "Elephant festival") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/34446572@N00/414418299/) [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rohitmarkande/348870054/](http://www.flickr.com/photos/rohitmarkande/348870054/) Here is the powder they use: [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/106/281160884_59b904ba65_z.jpg "Tikka") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/82194366@N00/281160884/) I don’t know if it’s quite saffron but it sure is pretty. used for sidewalks, too, like in this video right in the beginning: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWBZypQpwSM) OK gotta run! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/13 "2007-08-17T02:15:51Z")
Thanks, Annamika. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/14 "2007-08-17T02:18:04Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] [Link to picture](http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20070816014302&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0) What is the orange smudge angling down from the elephant’s face? [/QUOTE] It says right in the article. That’s the first mahout. Obviously a dire warning for the second. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/15 "2007-08-17T22:17:22Z")
[QUOTE=mswas] Is it just me or do elephants look larger when they’re going to war? [/QUOTE] Maybe they just use the big ones for war? Oliphaunts? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/16 "2007-08-17T23:35:02Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] Maybe they just use the big ones for war? Oliphaunts? [/QUOTE] I counfuse oliphanuts and hefalumps; maybe it’s a British thing. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/17 "2007-08-18T01:13:57Z")
I couldn’t help but laugh at "Tusker Keerthi trampling its first mahout ". It sounded like “Little Bill fishes his first shark” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/18 "2007-08-18T01:20:08Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Thanks, Annamika. [/QUOTE] You’re so welcome! I love questions like these, even though it’s a sad occurence. We decorate everything in India, if it stands still long enough. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/19 "2007-08-18T01:29:47Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] You’re so welcome! I love questions like these, even though it’s a sad occurence. [/QUOTE] Here is more pleasant elephant news. Please, what are the duties of a [Temple Elephant?](http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2007/07/07/stories/2007070751170200.htm) Accepting sweets from children seems to be a large part. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870/20 "2007-08-18T01:45:06Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Here is more pleasant elephant news. Please, what are the duties of a [Temple Elephant?](http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2007/07/07/stories/2007070751170200.htm) Accepting sweets from children seems to be a large part. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I am amazed and astounded to find that Wiki has a page on it: [Temple Elephants](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_elephant) where they explain a little. But I can add a little. Elephants are a huge part of Indian culture. Let’s face it, until the day you can carry around a blue whale, there just isn’t that much more impressive than elephants. They’re big lumbering creatures but until provoked are fairly easy to take care of. Not like big cats, or so I hear. They form lasting bonds. The good mahouts in India love their elephants like Americans love their dogs. They can carry, push, and pull. They are smart enough to learn tricks. You can put a palanquin on them and ride in style. They’re impressive. Kids love them, no matter what. How many elephants did you see , out of the zoo, up close and personal, before you were 12? I can tell you I probably saw more, and I was raised here after age 4. I can’t think of an analogous animal in other cultures. Who else keeps a creature like this, in their temples, decorates them, and even reveres them a little? Don’t forget, [Ganesh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh) is an elephant-headed god, and so when we treat the elephants with love and respect, we are also paying respect to the creature that partially created Shri Ganesh. However the poaching is immense and depressing. Killing a beautiful behemoth like that just to get at the ivory? I hope they make synthetic ivory and people just stop buying the real stuff. And they only (mostly) kill adult males, which means a lot of trouble in the elephant population. Darsini (from your link) looks like a sweetheart. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-kills-mahout-pic/415870.md?page=2)