Padayappa is no ordinary elephant. Named after the 1999 Rajinikanth hit film, the elephant, distinguished by his unusually long tusks and a limp, was until recently known for his casual strolls into the human-inhabited regions of Munnar, Kerala, than for the violence that marks the typical wild adult tusker’s interactions with people. With his violent displays over the last couple of months — smashing vehicles and wrecking shops — the elephant has struck fear in the hearts of locals. Not that this has stopped the founding of a “fan association” for Padayappa in a state that is well known for its unusually close, often complicated relationship, with elephants.
Perhaps this continued devotion to a suddenly destructive animal tells another, larger story. If anything, the love that Padayappa continues to inspire among his fans, is in keeping with the human capacity to lavish adoration on the less-than-ideal. It is well known that anti-heroes inspire as much of a following as heroes — from the Heathcliffs and Scarlett O’Haras of literature to the several unsavoury but attractive characters played by Shah Rukh Khan early in his career. As recently as last year, the internet was struggling hard to explain its obsession with the dastardly Daemon Targaryen on the series, House of the Dragon (In an interview, showrunner Ryan Condal expressed his “shock” over the following the character inspired).
If the appeal of the hero lies in the ideals to which he can aspire people to rise, then the role of an anti-hero is to help them come to terms with flawed reality. Padayappa the elephant was never the “gentle giant” that misguided imaginations may have made him out to be. He was always an elephant in the wild — to be treated with respect and caution.
