Milangoda Raja - The majestic tusker that was

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

Millangoda Raja - the tusker who lived in Molagoda Kegalle, left this world leaving a huge vacuum in our invaluable elephant population especially the ones bringing great pride and dignity. It is not only his tusks that wowed the world but his dignity representing our majestic elephants - Sri Lanka’s flagship species.

Today the Millangoda family is mounting a replica of the ‘Raja’ giving tribute to this legendary animal.

“We are on the process of mounting the replica and a professional in this field belonging to a private company is treating the skin. We believe we can mount up ‘Raja’ soon,” said Ananda Millangoda a son of ‘Raja’s owner M.R.A. Millangoda.

Raja was brought to Molagoda in 1945 by his owner who was then a strong young man. He and his friends captured this calf elephant from Anamaduwa, Nawagaththegama. Then Raja had been around 3-4 years according to the Millangoda family. As his owner M.R. A. Millangoda explained ‘Raja’, though gigantic and majestic in appearance had never been aggressive. “He was rough only during the must season but even then never ever hurt a single person,” he said.

Raja loved sweets. “He loved jaggery, toffees and he loved them as a treat. Even in a perehera there will be a bag of jaggery or toffees carried in front of him and he loved munching them every now and again while on the pageant”. Millangoda said fondly remembering this tender giant. He had always been an obedient and grateful animal who upheld his pride. “Regardless of what the pageant was ‘Raja’ would stick to his royal walk and the rest of the pageant had to follow and we always felt he was the jewel of the event.

He always stood out from the entire crowd,” said Millangoda.

They are not the only people who are going to miss ‘Raja’. Hundreds of people gathered at the Millangoda residence in Molagoda to pay their last respects to this beautiful creature who was fortunate to even carry the Buddha’s tooth relic in the Kandy Esala Perehera. Millangoda Raja was believed to be having the longest tusks in the Asian region and the Millangoda is making ‘Raja’s’ profile which will be available with the monument. ‘Raja’s’ head, along with the tusks are being treated making them ready for mounting.

According to the Millangoda family ‘Raja’ had been mainly suffering from food indigestion for over one year.

Though treated from the initial stages the tusker bid adieu to the country as well as to his loved ones, passing three score and ten years of life.

Yet history will record that his giant steps will remain forever filling our hearts with love and tenderness towards the Sri Lankan elephant.