It has been my privilege and great honour to get to know Kerala’s beloved Sugathakumari intimately.
The last I visited her was in January 2020, when we hugged each other and cried over the deaths of Kerala’s captive elephants.
The expression in her eyes spoke volumes about her mental and physical fatigue.
I vividly remember her apprehensive smile, when I was getting ready to leave and said I would see her next year.
She shook her head, as though she knew that this may be our last meeting.
Those precious moments we spent together will remain etched in my mind until I die.
My first meeting with Sugathakumari in November 2015 was the most poignant! We instantly felt a sense of familiarity as though we’ve known each other from previous lives. We were sitting in her front yard surrounded by Mother Nature, as I interviewed her for Gods In Shackles - An Epic Documentary.
She spoke passionately about the plight of festival elephants.
Her calm demeanour and impeccable way of narrating stories, using words as weapons to defend the voiceless resonated so profoundly.
Despite her physical limitations, she also attended the inaugural screening of ‘Gods in Shackles’ in a wheelchair, as I watched her in awe, giving voice to the elephants fearlessly, articulating clearly, and responding to a barrage of questions by the media.
Keeping her legacy alive
Over the past few days, since her passing, I’ve been listening to and reading heartfelt tributes, beautifully woven with meticulously chosen words like precious gems woven together in a necklace.
I think these words would carry more weight and reverberate across the land if we can muster up the courage to be honest with ourselves and change our behaviors to reflect this Sacred Soul’s purity and love for Mother Nature and all sentient beings, including humans and nonhumans.
So, as we commemorate the life and legacy of beloved Sugathakumari I urge you to do whatever it takes to keep the brilliant flame burning forever in our hearts.
An inextinguishable flame that has been ignited by her passion and love for mother nature, women, children and animals.
We can do this by lending our collective voices to the voiceless and the vulnerable. We can do this by replacing aggression and anger with love, and by silencing our mind chatter, so we can think clearly and act reflectively in every waking moment.
We can keep her legacy alive by eradicating violence against all sentient beings, including women, children, animals, in particular, the gentle giants. We only need to embrace India’s foundational tenet of Ahimsa in order to bring forth harmony.
Asking ourselves just one simple question can make a world of difference: “How will this action impact those around me --- not just me, not just humans, but all living beings?” Our actions will then be guided with better clarity and help us serve the greater good.
So today and every day, let us light a lamp in the temple of our heart, sit in silence and ask Sugathakumari’s loving spirit to guide us along a pathway that will help us coexist peacefully with each other, mother earth, women, children, animals, and indeed all sentient beings. Let’s come together in solidarity and carry forward our beloved Teacher’s amazing legacy.
Meanwhile, in the silence of the Silent Valley forests roams Sugathakumari’s spirit, soaring freely, celebrating her union with the elephant spirits who were once held captive in their physical body, languishing silently, as they endured unimaginable physical and emotional torture in the hands of ruthless men.
As much as the demise of Sugathakumari is a colossal loss for humanity, our elephants, Mother Nature, women and children have lost a powerful voice.
The Heaven’s golden gates have opened to welcome this gentle soul, as elephants trumpet gloriously, and wrap their delicate trunks around, shielding her from suffering.
A huge personal loss
My visits to Kerala will never be the same again.
I won't get to meet my kindred spirit in this physical realm. I won't be able to receive her warm and heartfelt hugs.
I won’t be able to feel her healing hands on my head and receive her blessings physically. But one thing I do know…. her love will guide us to carry forward her unfinished task.
When I leave this mortal coil, I will meet my beloved Sugathakumari in the glorious Heaven and celebrate our reunion with each other and all the elephants. Good bye for now!
(The author is a National Geographic explorer and Founding Executive Director of the Voice for Asian Elephants Society. Her documentary, Gods in Shackles, exposes the exploitation of captive elephants in Kerala in the name of religion. She lives in Toronto, Canada)
