Konni

Indian Elephant

Konni is an important junction on the Muvattupuzha-Punalur route. It is about 11 km from the district headquarters. It is an important center for cash crops like rubber, pepper, coffee and ginger which form the backbone of the agricultural economy of the state. Konni assembly constituency is part of Pathanamthitta (Lok Sabha constituency).

The lush green land has been prominent as a haven of wild elephants and as an elephant training centre. The large area of thick forest with wild animals has now made Konni emerge as another tourist spot for safaris and trekking. Konni is also known for its elephant rides. Konni is the gateway to the forest bordering the district. In the past, wild elephants caught from the forests were brought here and put in wooden cages known as 'Aanakoodu' (Elephant Cage) to be tamed and trained for work. In Kerala there are two elephant training centers, the other located at Kodanad.

Elephant Cage

Konni has a major elephant training center, located 11 km from Pathanamthitta. It is famous for the elephant trainning centre since ancient times. The prime attraction here are the huge cages of wood built to house elephants. These can accommodate 3 to 4 elephants at a time. The trainers here train the baby elephants which get separated from their herd, or are found wounded or roaming in the forest. Experienced trainers using their systematic training methods, tame the baby elephants. These trainers take the help of other tamed elephants. Visitors can get a close look at these elephants and can observe and understand a lot about their behaviour, especially that of baby elephants, which are often endearingly mischievous.

Elephant Cage

Location: Only 11 km from Pathanamthitta.