JOIN USAbhimanyu to be relieved of elephantine task
In what may cheer up animal lovers, elephant Abhimanyu would be relieved from the arduous task of pulling the fabled ‘Aane gaadi’, carrying the police band during Jamboo Savari, the grand finale of Dasara.
The Dasara Executive Committee, which met on Friday, is learnt to have arrived at a decision to this effect. Revenue and District In-charge Minister V Srinivas Prasad, who was apprised about the matter, is learnt to have directed the officials to explore an alternative method like deploying a vehicle to pull the ‘gaadi’, a wooden cart.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Mysuru circle, Kamala told Deccan Herald that the Forest Department would not provide the elephant for pulling the cart as it has to sustain the weight (of cart and people atop) for a long time, a risky job during sloppy stretch and curves. Instead, the elephant would be performing the changed role as ‘naufat’ elephant during Jamboo Savari.
The officer explained that it was suggested to the minister to look for alternative measures as the elephant had suffered wounds in the past. The minister was also quick to accede.|
“Like Balarama, who has been performing the role of ‘nishane’, by leading the elephants, marking the beginning of Jamboo Savari, Abhimanyu will follow Balarama as ‘naufat’,” the officer said.
Long-pending demand
With this, the long-pending demand of animal lovers seems to have been finally heard. Wildlife enthusiasts had been demanding to stop the practice of using elephants for carrying golden howdah and also pulling the cart.
According to the available records, Abhimanyu, aged 49 years, was pulling the 30-foot-long cart with the police band artistes on board, during Jamboo Savari since 16 years. Though the elephant is healthy, what caused the trouble was the side bars of the cart. Though the forest officials took safety measures by covering the side bars with leather and also sand bags, the bars had cut into the limbs last year. During Dasara 2013 too, it had suffered wounds on its hips.
According to Forest Department veterinarian Dr Nagaraj, tasked with the care of Dasara elephants, the injuries were suffered while negotiating curves on the 4.7 km-long Jamboo Savari route.
The elephant has to traverse through four prominent circles — Chamarajendra Wadiyar Circle opposite Balarama Gate of the palace, the exit point of Jamboo Savari from the palace; K R Circle; Government Ayurvedic Hospital junction and Moulana Abul Kalam Azad Circle (Highway Circle), close to the culmination point at Bannimantap.