Maligawa Raja
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka

Biography

☨ ♂ Maligawa Raja
Museum locations
Present / last location:	Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth, in Sri Lanka

Date of arrival

	Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Identification


Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Male ♂ about 1988 years old (approximate age)
Origin
Born:	* ~1913 wild
Birth place:
Capture:	1925
Death
Dead:	†1988-07-16
Death reason:	disease: "an illness"
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth, in Sri Lanka

Date of arrival

1937-07-31	Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth from Tikiri Bandara Mampitiya

Record history
History of updates	2009-07-29: transfer 1938 2009-07-29: Text 2009-09-22: 1000 rupee bill 2018-05-16: alt name, source

Latest document update	2021-01-11 05:40:15
Google map

† Maligawa Raja is a dead Male ♂ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 1988-07-16 at Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth, in Sri Lanka, . Official death reason described as "an illness".

Museum locationThe Museum specimen remains of this animal is within the collection at Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth, in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Origin

Maligawa Raja was born wild ~1913, captured 1925 .

Comments / pictures

According to various sources four Feet five inches in height and 12 years of age, in 1925.

On August 20, 1986 President J. R. Jayewardene declared Raja as a national treasure in recognition of its invaluable services to the religion.

A stamp was issued in its memory on December 12, 1989, and also the 1000 Rupee bill, with Raja and the muslim trainer Umar Lebbe Panicker from Eravur in Batticola.

Maligawa Raja in Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2026). Maligawa Raja, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 17 March 2026 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=4755. (archived at the Wayback machine)