Ex-mahouts lend expertise in 'gaddi' making

 For retired mahouts Pasha and Zakaulla, Dasara means back to job again.

But, the only difference is, they are not coercing the jumbos, but lending their expertise in readying the gaddi (howdah ) from practice hours to jamboo savari.

Howdah elephant Balarama will be carrying the replica of golden howdah on Monday to get ready for the D-day. The howdah will be mounted before Rahukala, the practice followed since ages, wishing for success.

The duo joined the forest department as kavadis and bid adieu to the arduous task as mahouts of Dasara elephants, after fruitful 35 years of service in 2006. Since then, they are regular in taking up the jumbo task along with their juniors.

They were preparing the strap to make it smoother for the jumbo, when Deccan Herald visited the temporary camp, now on the Palace premises. Pasha started in the year 1971 as kavadi to elephant Hayagreeva for which his father Namme Saab was the mahout.

He recalls the jamboo savari then, with howdah elephant Rajendra carrying the then Maharaja in the procession. Apart from the 750-kg golden howdah, other howdahs made of silver and another decorated by mirrors were also being taken out in the procession, says Pasha going down memory lane.

Pasha was later elevated as mahout of Sarala, a kumki elephant (female elephants that walk on either side of howdah elephant to keep the mood of the latter). Zakaulla was the mahout of Radhika and later Chaitra.

Their memories are fresh, when they recall Dasara jumbos earlier camping at aane karoti (now JSS Mahavidyapeetha building) and later thabeli (now the office of mounted police). Even then the elephants were taken out on stroll daily to acclimatise them with the hustle and bustle of traffic.

Veterinary officer Dr Nagaraj told Deccan Herald, the retired mahouts also help in readying the gaddi (howdah with sand bags for practice and later for jamboo savari) and mounting the same on the elephant. The department is utilising their expertise not to take any chances in the smooth going of the jumbo exercise.