Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has paid tribute to Kavanthissa, a widely admired elephant, in a Facebook post reflecting on the animal’s place in the country’s history, Buddhist traditions and cultural heritage.
Beginning his tribute with the words, “Two-tusked elephant Kavanthissa, I believe the great king of the forest has finally been embraced by the forest itself,” Rajapaksa recalled the longstanding significance of elephants in Sri Lankan society, describing their presence across historical records, religious ceremonies, royal traditions and the arts.
He said elephants had featured throughout the country’s history, including in the Mahavamsa, the historical chronicle of Sri Lanka. He also referred to their traditional roles in the annual Sri Dalada Maligawa Perahera, royal coronations and warfare, highlighting their association with both ceremonial and political life.
Rajapaksa singled out Kadol, the elephant associated with Sri Lankan kingship, recalling how the animal had attained a status comparable to that of a king in historical accounts. The reference formed part of his broader reflection on the place of elephants in the island’s historical memory and their association with royal authority.
The former president also highlighted the significance of elephants in Buddhism, referring to the elephant’s representation as a Bodhisattva. He connected this religious symbolism with the Gajaga Wannama, a traditional Sri Lankan dance form associated with the movements and characteristics of an elephant, illustrating the animal’s influence on the country’s artistic traditions.
According to Rajapaksa, the elephant occupies a distinctive position in Sri Lankan culture because of its connections with history, religion, art and everyday life. He described elephants as living symbols of the country’s heritage, objects of veneration, auspicious figures and animals that people have a responsibility to protect.
His tribute presented Kavanthissa’s death within this wider cultural context, linking the loss of an individual animal to the longstanding place of elephants in the country’s collective traditions. The post drew on historical and religious references to convey the significance attached to the animal beyond its physical presence.
Rajapaksa concluded his message by addressing Kavanthissa as a distinguished member of the country’s elephant population and wishing it a peaceful onward journey.
“Farewell to the great elephant of our elephant lineage, who shaped our motherland and carried a human heart filled with dignity, strength, patience and compassion,” he wrote.
The message was published on the former president’s Facebook account as a final tribute to Kavanthissa, whose death prompted the reflection on elephants’ enduring place in Sri Lanka’s cultural and historical identity.
