The Ceremonial Tusker of Kadudevola
The star elephant has the privilege of becoming the wedding elephant king at the site of Mother Patthini, a sacred place of historical value located on a beautiful hill in Duwela town, facing the Kelani River.
According to the facts reported when researching the history of the star, it appears that it was discovered in the early 90s while lost in a jungle in the area called Ate Kanawa, Puttalam.
Tharaka, who was captured while lost in a jungle in Puttalam, was later placed in the care of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.
Subsequently, at the request of Mr. Kularatta Wijethunga, the Chief Trustee of the Kadudevola Siddha Rankadu Patthini Devalaya, and with the intervention of the then Minister of Human Resource Development, Education and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Karunasena Kodithuwakku, and with the approval of His Excellency Ranil Wickremesinghe, who served as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 2003, the star elephant was offered to the temple on 5th March 2003.
From that day to this day, this handsome elephant king has been living a very happy life under the care of Mr. Kularatta Wijetunga.
As one of the strongest and tallest elephants in Sri Lanka today, Tharaka, who is involved in the Esala Perahera of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, the Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya, Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya, Sankapitthi Purana Viharaya, and the Kabulumulla Pattini Devalaya, among other prominent perahera festivals in Sri Lanka, was engaged in a Kumbhal Perahera and three Randoli Peraheras of the Kandy Esala Perahera festival in 2018, carrying the Kataragama Devabharan and in 2020, he performed a solemn duty as a Dela elephant.
The star elephant, which spends its annual hibernation period between November and April, is an indispensable asset to the country’s perahera culture.
Although the name we all know is Tharaka, his full name is Tharaka Randuka. I would be right to say that Tharaka’s previous merits were that he was able to spend his time freely, often without chains, in his class and in his garden, while playing with stones in the stream, and having a loving employer like Mr. Wijetunga.
This playful and mischievous elephant prince, who is still very young, is living his life freely as the wedding elephant king of the historic Kadudevola Siddha Rankadu Pattini Temple, receiving the undying love of his family and villagers, including Mr. Kularatta Wijethunga.
It is our wish that you may always be blessed with the protection of the great Sri Dalada Maligawa and the Satpatthini Divine Mothers….
