Idukki: Long before darts, drones, and smart fences became the preferred ways to deal with wild elephants, a group of villagers in Idukki relied on bamboo 'bombs'. A 76-year-old man named Kunjumon still practises the old-school method to scare away jumbos.
A four-foot-long bamboo stick designed with measured holes spews fire with a deafening sound. This crude but highly effective explosive is relied on by the people of Mattappalli on the Kattappana-Kuttikanam route.

Mattappalli lies close to the dense forest. Wild elephants, boars, and pythons are frequently sighted here. A panchayat road separates the forest from the settlements. The Forest Department installed fences in the area only a few weeks ago.

Kunjumon's method of scaring away elephants requires a bamboo stick, kerosene, and a lit lamp. Locally known as 'Illi padakkam', it produces a thunderous sound that drives away wild animals. He recounts that in his younger days, a single blast would echo through the forest and across the villages. Due to popular demand, he even staged a blast with three crackers during a church festival.

The tool was originally crafted and used by elders, including Kunjumon’s own father, more than six decades ago. Back then, forest resources were frequently collected, and wildlife conflict was a serious concern. 'Illi Padakkam' was born out of the need for a safe, cost-effective deterrent.

It works by a simple design. The bamboo is cut to a length of 4 feet. The stick is drilled to form nodes which act as hollow, small chambers. A cotton cloth daubed in kerosene is inserted through a hole from the top of the stick. The cloth is lit and put out immediately once the flame becomes prominent. The smoke slowly builds inside and is steered towards the open end of the stick. The stick is brought near a fire source, and a loud blast occurs due to the trapped pressure inside.

"It causes no harm to elephants; it simply scares them away. This safe, low-cost method requires just half a litre of kerosene and some cotton. Diesel can also be used as a substitute," says Kunjumon.

While many elders once used this technique, Kunjumon is perhaps the last of his kind still using it today. Eager to pass on the tradition, he recently demonstrated the device to students at a nearby government school’s NSS camp. With festivals like Vishu just around the corner, Kunjumon believes watching an Illi Padakkam go off could keep children fascinated for hours.