Kumki (Koomkie, Koonki or Kunki; known as Thāppāna in Malayalam) is a term used in India for trained captive Asian elephants used in operations to trap wild elephants, sometimes to rescue or to provide medical treatment to an injured or trapped wild elephant.[1] Kumkis are used for capturing, calming and herding wild elephants or to lead wild elephants away in conflict situations.[2] In such cases the training process aims at preserving some of the wild dominant character in them, so that they can control wild elephants by force if necessary. When wild elephants enter human settlements and kumkis are used to drive them away, sometimes direct physical contact might not be needed since the territorial behaviour is aided by scent and other communication between animals.
Some Kumki are particularly trained to follow the "foot commands" from their mahouts and to move silently during the entire capturing operation.[3]
Etymology
The word is derived from Persian kumak which means "aid" and is in wide usage from Bengal to Tamil Nadu by mahouts.[4][5]
Phandi commands
Following are the commands that phandis use to drive an elephant.[6]
- Agad: Go forward
- Pisoo/Pichoo: Go backward.
- Dhutt/Datt: Stop
- Beit: Lie (on belly)
- Tere: Lie (on one side)
- Meile/Mut: Get up
In popular culture
Some movies related to kumki elephants have been released in the Tamil film industry, such as Kumki (2012).
References
- ↑ The standard natural history. Mammals. Volume V.{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. S.E. Cassino and Company(1884)
- ↑ The Wealth of India. Volume III: D-E.{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(1952)
- ↑ Practical Elephant Management - A Handbook for Mahouts{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Elephant Welfare Association(July 1997)
- ↑ Hobson-Jobson{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. John Murray(1903)
- ↑ The Naturalist's Library. Mammalia. Volume XXIV.{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. W.H. Lizars(1854)
- ↑ Caught in a trap. The Times of India({Template:Date).