Baby Elephant Bharati to Undergo Ayurveda Treatment for Arthritis

The traditional ayurveda treatment has become the last resort for the female elephant calf Bharati at the Kodanad Elephant Orphanage in Kerala. The elephant is struggling hard to survive from arthritis.

When other inmates of the Kerala's famous elephant orphanage so far a morning with their mahouts on the roadsides of Kodanad Forest range, the dilemma of the baby elephant Bharati and its Mahout Subramaniam are make to do so.

The Kerala forest department is trying out ancient treatments to save her.

“I am very much upset on her present condition. I am ready to try any thing for her recovery,” said Subramaniam.

Bharati, which has recently joined the center, is now under the treatment of a traditional ayurvedic physician named Mohanan Vaidiyar.

Vaidiyar is busy putting oil massages and hot medicated bags on Bharati's body and limbs and is hopeful that within two to three weeks she can walk like other inmates.

“It had swellings in her whole body and after doing the massage and other treatments we have been able to reduce it. Now, the swellings are only near the limbs. That also will be removed. We are providing her all kinds of internal and external medication according to ayurveda,” Vaidiyar added.

V. Sasi, Forest Range Officer of Kodanad said that the elephant has responded well to Ayurveda.

"She is undergoing treatment for her arthritis. We were doing some kind of allopathy treatment but there was no response. Now we are doing Ayurvedic treatment. There is better improvement than the allopathy treatment. We hope that she will recover completely within two-three weeks," Sasi said.

Bharati, who is one-and-a-half year old, was recovered from a nearby forest named Perrunthode few months back. She was not able to stand properly. When doctors found that she is suffering from arthritis, various treatments were given to her but nothing happened. Arthritis spread to all her four limbs.

The total number of orphaned babies in the Kodanad center is ten of which four are male babies and six females.

Source-ANI
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