Few in Munnar and its environs haven’t seen or heard of Padayappa, the giant wild tusker which roams the hill-resort and its tea plantations. In fact, tourists, keen on getting a snapshot of him, often enquire about his whereabouts. For his reputation for reasonably good behaviour precedes him wherever he goes.
The sight of Padayappa padding down the road will make even the stout-hearted quail — more so if one runs into him on a sharp curve. His appearance is quite formidable. Standing nearly 10 feet tall, his ragged ears flap languidly, his mud-caked flanks heave visibly and his massive tusks protrude menacingly.
