KOCHI, March 4 -- It is the Pooram season in Kerala and Pooram, the Malayalam word for 'festival of festivals,' is celebrated with great gaiety and exuberance in temples, both big and small. This is the time of year when expatriate Malayalees visit their hometowns to partake in the Pooram festivities in their villages. The two indispensable elements of these Poorams are caparisoned elephants and Panchavadyam/Thayambaka, a fusion of percussion instruments played by more than a hundred artists, while the tuskers wave their ears and tails in appreciation of the music.

As the Pooram season gains momentum, a debate ensues among Pooram enthusiasts and animal rights activists regarding the cruelty inflicted upon elephants. There was a time when...