Meet Nandilath Chandu, a small, naughty and lovable elephant, a pet of elephant lovers in Thrissur (former Trichur) district of Kerala, Kerala. Jiggling and nuzzling Chandu welcomes visitors and he is seen more friendly in the company of children.

This video was shot from the venue of Anayoottu ritual (a mass feasting of elephants), held annually in the Vadakkumnathan temple, Thrissur.

Elephant loving state
There is hardly any place in the world where elephants are loved, revered and groomed as in Kerala. Fondly called as the ‘sons of the Sahya mountains’, elephants play a major role in the cultural life of Kerala.

Apart from being a well-preserved animal genus, elephants are owned by individuals and temples. There are about 700 domesticated pachyderms in the state.