In the remote forest-bordering village of Mattappalli in Idukki, where human-animal conflict remains a pressing concern, one elderly man continues to preserve a traditional method of deterring wild elephants. Seventy-six-year-old Kunjumon, fondly known as the “bamboo bomber,” still uses a locally developed device called Illi Padakkam. Long before advanced technologies like tranquilizers, electric fencing, or surveillance drones became available, this handmade bamboo contraption was the villagers’ go-to defense against elephants, wild boars, and even snakes that strayed into human settlements.
Kunjumon’s technique involves a four-foot bamboo stick with carefully drilled chambers. The process is simple yet clever: a kerosene-soaked cotton cloth is inserted and lit, but extinguished just as the flame intensifies. The smoke builds pressure inside the bamboo, and when brought near a fire, it produces a thunderous boom that scares animals away—without harming them. The Forest Department only recently installed fencing in the area, but for decades, villagers depended on this crude yet effective sound-based deterrent. Kunjumon recalls how powerful the blasts were in his youth, sometimes echoing across neighboring hamlets. He even performed a triple blast version during a local church festival upon public request.
Though many elders once relied on Illi Padakkam, Kunjumon may be the last practitioner of this disappearing craft. Passionate about preserving this traditional knowledge, he recently gave a demonstration at an NSS camp hosted by a nearby government school. He believes this tool is not only practical and affordable—it needs just kerosene or diesel and cotton—but also educational and captivating for the younger generation. With Vishu celebrations approaching, Kunjumon hopes the impressive spectacle of his bamboo blasts will inspire curiosity and cultural appreciation in children, just as it once did for him.
