Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB)  and tantris have agreed to strictly regulate the use of elephants during temple festivals. Measures will be taken to limit elephant processions and the decisions will be implemented after informing the government.

Though elephants cannot be excluded from rituals such as the ‘arattu’ and ‘pallivetta’, practices like taking elephants to homes for blessings and using them in events like ‘saptaham’ and ‘navaham’ will be discontinued. The number of elephants in processions will be controlled and temples with limited space will have restrictions on bringing in elephants.

Tantris have also suggested reducing the duration of processions. The practice of conducting festivals along the lines of Thrissur Pooram will not be encouraged. The Devaswom Board has recommended the temple advisory committees to implement these restrictions.

Taking elephants on long walks to temple ponds for ‘arattu’ and making them walk on roads in extreme heat will be banned. The use of laser lights, DJ music and loud sounds near elephants will also be prohibited, as they can provoke the animals. Fireworks will be regulated.

The Kerala Captive Elephant Management and Maintenance Rules, 2012 will serve as the guideline for elephant processions, according to Devaswom Board president PS Prasanth and member A Ajikumar. Programme schedules involving elephants must be submitted in advance to the forest department and animal welfare organisations for approval.

The meeting was attended by Mullappalli Krishnan Namboothiri, working president of the Tantra Vidyapeetham, and representatives of the All Kerala Tantris’ Association, including Suryakaladi Suryan Parameswaran Namboothiripad, Kokkulam Madhavar Shambhu Potti and Perinjery Vasudevan Namboothiripad.