How Sri Lanka's Ali Manthra bridges Tradition and modern conservation

Sri Lanka's elephants are both a treasure and a challenge. They inspire awe, shape our culture, and draw visitors from across the world. But they also walk into farms, destroy crops, and sometimes take human lives. In return, hundreds of elephants are killed every year. This is the reality of what we call "human-elephant conflict.

- By Dilum Alagiyawanna

Amidst debates about electric fences, high-tech warning systems, and costly relocation projects, there exists a much older, humbler practice: the Ali Mantra. Few outside rural communities know of it. Fewer still understand its value. But in today’s crisis, this ancient knowledge deserves attention.

What is ‘Ali Mantra’?

The Ali Mantra is not a prayer or temple chant. It is a special shout, performed in a very low and strong voice, used when facing a threatening elephant. It is not done by groups, but by certain individuals who learned it from their parents or grandparents. Families pass it down quietly, never putting it into written form or teaching it in public.

Importantly, the Ali Mantra is not meant to scare away whole herds. It is used in very tense, personal moments when a single elephant steps forward, ears spread wide, ready to charge. At that point, a person raises their voice in this unique way. To many elephants, it signals enough authority and strength to make them stop.

It is not just shouting. The way the sound is produced low, deep, and drawn-out matters. Those who don’t know the technique cannot easily copy it.

Why Does It Work?

Modern science helps us understand this. Elephants have extremely sharp hearing. They not only hear the sounds humans hear — they can also sense vibrations at very low levels (called “infrasound,” or sound too deep for us to notice).

When people shout in a low, powerful voice, it overlaps with the range elephants are most sensitive to. Unlike high-pitched noises, which disappear quickly, low sounds travel far and strike harder.

There is also learning involved. Elephants that live near humans gradually understand that this particular sound means danger. They remember it. Over time, the sound becomes a warning signal in their minds.