Perumparamba, a village in Kerala's Malappuram district, is treated to a lovely sight almost every evening. An unchained elephant trundles along the road, a slight man in tow, her owner-cum-mahout. The elephant goad is missing in his hand. One closer look and you see the trunk wrapped around the goad, like holding a toy. The villagers pass comments -- it's like two friends on an evening stroll. There is also her favourite hangout -- a shop where she halts for two chocobars and a pineapple.

Known as 'Perumparambu Kaveri', the elephant is not just a beloved presence in the village but also has a huge fan base in Malappuram. The touching tale of the bond between Kaveri and her owner Mohammed Shimil has struck a chord with animal lovers, chronicled through brief videos on YouTube (47K followers) and Instagram. On social media, she is known as 'Ikkante Swantham Kaveri'. This popularity even prompted Shimil to host a fan meet for her recently. He receives gifts for her from across Kerala.

Five years ago when Shimil saw Kaveri for the first time at Adimali, he was moved. A weak, undernourished elephant who wouldn't eat or take medicine. He just couldn't leave her like that. Everybody discouraged him. She wouldn't survive, it would be a burden, he was told. He bought her and took her home.

Shimil brought Kaveri to his animal farm next to his house at Perumparamba and provided her with proper treatment. Within a month, the elephant's condition improved. She overcame her anger issues, began eating well and regained health.

"She was aggressive towards me initially. However, I gave myself a reasonable amount of time to understand her — her moods, feelings, and issues. To my surprise, she understood me more quickly," Shimil recounts.

Shimil says Kaveri always needs him by her side. “If I'm not around, she refuses to eat or drink and shows signs of irritation and anger. She's even invited to events and rituals now, and I bought a caravan just to accompany her,” he says. Shimil limits Kaveri's travels to within 100 km. “Sending her farther would be too much. She has to stand in the truck for such long journeys, and it would tire her out.”

The sight of an unchained elephant roaming around the village hardly stirs any panic. “She is free to enter any private land in the village without causing harm because she only eats wild grass, not cultivated crops. She grazes until her stomach is full and will return home by herself. No one is needed to take her back home,” says Shimil.

Shimil has another male elephant at home named Parthasaradhi, whom he bought eight years ago. “There are caretakers for both elephants, though I hesitate to call them mere mahouts — they've been with me for years out of a deep love for animals,” Shimil says.

Kaveri has taken part in numerous temple rituals in Malappuram and neighbouring areas, always accompanied by Shimil. He can be seen elegantly dressed in dhoti and shirt alongside Kaveri during these ceremonies. Social media users often comment on this unique sight, describing it as a symbol of secularism embraced in Malappuram.

Kaveri, being one of the tallest female elephants in Kerala, is regularly invited to temples in Malappuram where the deities are goddesses.

“Even my family jokes that I love Kaveri more than them now; she's truly become a part of our family. The only challenge is that I can't take vacations because Kaveri won't allow me to be away for more than a day. Often, my wife and son stay back with me because of this. Yes, my wife is a bit sad about it, but she also loves Kaveri,” Shimil smiles.

Not just about elephants
It's not just elephants Shimil cares for. From a Bengaluru college student who once raised three cows in the two-wheeler parking area of his rented flat, the30-year-old has evolved into an animal farm owner in Malappuram. “My passion for animals started at a young age when I began caring for fish,” he recalls. Despite his parents' initial reluctance to have pets at home, Shimil would rescue abandoned kittens on his way to school, secretly sheltering them in the backyard among the firewood.

Everyone anticipated a change when Shimil went to Bengaluru for his BBA course, but he surprised them all. “There was an old woman nearby who owned several cows,” he said. “After college, I often spent time with those animals. Eventually, I got permission from the building owner where I lived to keep two cows and a calf in the two-wheeler parking area of our apartment.”

Things took a different turn when Shimil's father, a businessman, fell suddenly ill. Shimil promptly returned to Malappuram, putting an end to his studies in the third year.

So what about the cows? “I purchased a Bolero. I took the calf with me in the Bolero and transported the two cows in another van. They've been with me at home ever since,” Shimil says.

“Initially, my parents didn't allow me to bring them home because of lack of space. So, I kept the cows in a shed near a paddy field behind our office. When we later moved to a new house outside the town, I set aside a large area for raising animals.”

From three cows, Shimil has expanded his farm to include a variety of animals such as horses, buffaloes, dogs, cats, hens, ducks and other birds. “We even have a peacock that visits regularly,” he says.

At one time, Shimil had 30 horses, and currently, he keeps nine, demonstrating his expertise in horse riding with several wins in races. While he briefly ran horse riding classes, he eventually discontinued them. There were even camels at one point. Shimil is also known for rescuing street dogs, earning recognition from the animal husbandry department for his efforts.