Calls to do away with elephants, fireworks in temple festivals get louder in Kerala

While the state is yet to recover from the shock of the fireworks accident in Thrissur that killed 15 people, Sree Narayana Guru’s call to eliminate firecrackers and elephant parades from temple festivals is gaining traction.

Guru’s call ‘Kariyum venda, Karimarunnum venda’ (no elephants and fireworks) is widely quoted in social media campaigns to move away from the use of elephants and high-intensity gunpowder displays in the wake of the recent accident.