Nawam Raja (Dhala Puttawa)
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Gangaramaya Temple in Sri Lanka

Biography
dead elephant ☨ ♂ Nawam Raja (Dhala Puttawa)  dead elephant
Raja in March, 2010. Photo: Diana Sed
Raja in March, 2010. Photo: Diana Sed

Identification


Description

Species:Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:Male ♂ 57 years old

People killed:1: mahout Dingiri Mahattaya
Origin
Born:* 1954 wild
Birth place: in India unspecified location
Death
Dead: 2011-07-09
Death reason: unknown:
Locations - owners
Present / last location:Gangaramaya Temple, in Sri Lanka

Date of arrival

Gangaramaya Temple
from Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Bahadur

Record history
History of updates2022-09-12

Latest document update2022-03-14 15:27:20
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† Nawam Raja (Dhala Puttawa) is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 2011-07-09 at Gangaramaya Temple, in Sri Lanka, .

Origin

Nawam Raja (Dhala Puttawa) was born wild 1954 at India unspecified location.


Comments / pictures

Ven. Piliyandala Hamuduruwo, a reputed indigenous physician was able to cure an eye disease of a relative of a Maharajah of Mysore. The Maharajah was overjoyed and presented two elephant calves to this monk.

There was one incident in Kandy, were Navam Raja killed Dingiri Mahattaya, its Mahout. He was a person from Godakawela in Rakwana. It was the time when Navam Raja was brought to Kandy for Esala Perahera in Daladha Maligawa.

When Dingiri Mahattaya was trying to un-tie the elephant, the elephant suddenly knocked him down with his Tusks. Then the Tusker has flung him over an electric wire. Dingiri Mathaya fell behind a massive log in the corner. The injured Mahout was rushed to the hospital. However in spite of much effort the Mahout later died.

This sort of behaviour was not common in Navam Raja. Later few elephant experts predicted that this was due to the elephant being in heat, although the Musth behaviour was not distinct in Navam Raja. The Mahout Dingiri Mahattaya was said to like the Tusker so much that had a great faith on the elephant. On the day of his funeral, near his coffin a photograph of Navam Raja was kept.

Tharindu Muthukumarana, Sri Lanka daily news

Nawam Raja (Dhala Puttawa) in Gangaramaya Temple

Navam raja during Colic in April 2006

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2024). Nawam Raja (Dhala Puttawa), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Gangaramaya Temple in Sri Lanka. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 19 March 2024 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=4798. (archived at the Wayback machine)


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Categories2011 deaths | 1954 births | Born in India | Elephants from Gangaramaya Temple | Sri Lanka | Mankillers | Asian elephants


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