Pinnawela's 'Suranimala' creates a surprise for visitors

B. W. Eheliyagoda Kegalle special correspondent

The elephant 'Suranimala' of the renowned Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in the outskirts of Kegalle town created a scene when it was taken by its mahouts for a bath in the 'Maha Oya' just by the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on December 24.

While bathing 'Suranimala' became restless and started to run amok threatening the many visitors to the elephant orphanage on this Christmas eve. There were both foreign and local visitors watching the elephants bathing. The efforts of the mahouts to bring the restless 'Suranimala' under control became a dangerous task.

Elephant Suranimala was running about in the Maha Oya waters and stepped on to the public road. The foreign and local tourists dropped back and stood at a distance and watched the rare scene, when the pachyderm started to attack a tourist hotel by the roadside and two other shops where curios are displayed.

The frightened mahouts at once sought the assistance of the security personnel to bring the enraged 'Suranimala' under control.

The security officers fired several shots into the air and Suranimala was observed becoming calm and docile and after sometime listened to the mahouts' kindly commands and orders in the 'elephant langauge' and were successful in bringing it under full control. Later, Suranimala was led peacefully into the elephant orphanage premises.

Many of the young foreign and local tourists appreciated the adventure and the rare scene created by 'Suranimala' became quite a pleasant surprise that will live in their memories amidst a rare hazardous scene.