The Maha Sangha has drawn the attention of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the issues that have emerged owing to the shortage of tamed elephants for Perahera ceremonies and stressed the requirement of a short term and long-term plan to address the issue, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

As the tradition of Perahera is an indigenous, religious and cultural heritage that has been inherited since ancient times, both Maha Sangha and the government are responsible in upholding and preserving the Buddhist cultural heritage, they have stressed.

The remarks came during a meeting chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday (March 12). The focus of the discussion had fell on the with difficulties that have arisen due to the shortage of tamed elephants for Perahera ceremonies. 

Maha Sangha and the representatives of the Tamed Elephant Owners’ Association were present at the discussion, the PMD added.

The difficulty of finding adequate number of tamed elephants for the Eselea Perehara of the Sacred Temple of Tooth Relic and other historical perahera festivals have been discussed in depth.

By the 1980s, the number of tamed elephants in Sri Lanka was between 300 and 350, however, about 80 of them are now over 50 years of age, the PMD noted. It was revealed during the discussion that there is a substantial shortage of elephants for the processions.

The owners of the tamed elephants have noted that it takes about 3 years to train an elephant or a tusker to take part in a Perahera.

Since ancient times, every Head of State has gift elephants to temples, the Maha Sangha stated, adding that it is a tradition in countries such as Myanmar, Burma and Thailand to gift elephants to temples as diplomatic offerings for that respective country.

The Maha Sangha pointed out that the care, welfare and maintenance of elephants should be executed well and even the tradition of conducting religious rites after the death of elephants still exists today.

President Rajapaksa has stated that he strongly believes that the country needs a herd of tamed elephants as it is part of our culture of Perahera tradition.

The President also instructed the officials to hold discussions with the owners of the tamed elephants in formulating conditions for the regulation and conservation of tamed elephants.

The Maha Sangha including Anunayake of the Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven. Anamaduwe Dhammadassi Thero, Chief Incumbent of Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara Ven. Dewalegama Dhammasena Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya Prof. Ven. Kollupitiya Mahinda Sangharakkitha Nayaka Thero and the Chief Incumbent of the Gangarama Temple Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, Principal Advisor to President Lalith Weeratunga, President of the Tamed Elephant Owners Association Nilanga Dela, the Secretaries to the Line Ministries and several other officials participated in this meeting.