MIHIMUKH (Kaziranga), Jan 11 — Wonderful activities of domestic elephants on the occasion of the two-day Elephant Festival, that got under way here this morning, reminded the people of the cultural heritage of the State in which elephant occupies a place of love and respect. The festival is organised with the twin objectives of reducing the tension between the elephant and man and promoting State’s tourism. A colourful procession of about 60 elephants from the Kohora NH point to the festival ground here earlier this morning, set the mood of the festival. The elephants, which took part in the procession were well-docorated and three of them were carrying hawdas on their backs, while three others were carrying umbrellas. The mahut and other riders of these elephants were also dressed in colourful traditional costumes.
Cultural troupes followed the elephants in the procession, emphasising on the need to preserve the pachyderms and to conserve their habitats in keeping with the cultural heritage of the State. Altogether 275 domestic elephants from various parts of the State have assembled here to take part in the festival, while 28 travel writers, tour operators and environmentalists from abroad like Mr Mark Shand, Dr U Mar, Sittidet Mahasavankut, have also come to take part in the proceedings of the festival. State’s Excise Minister Rameswar Dhanowar inaugurated the festival around noon today by lighting the traditional lamp in the presence of several Ministers of the State who included Sri Pradyut Bardoloi, Smt Ajanta Neog and Smt Sarifa Begum and MP Deep Gegoi, and dignitaries like Smt Parbati Barua, Maharani Gayatri Devi of Joypur and Mr Mark Chand and guests from abroad and various parts of the country. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who was earlier scheduled to inaugurate the festival, could not make it to the function due to inclement weather. Makhana elephant Guruprasad who is trained in dancing to the tunes of songs and rythms of musical instruments, offered Sri Dhanowar a gamocha for his inaugurating the festival to the applause of the dignitaries, guests and thousands of local people with thronged the festival ground.
In his speech, Sri Dhanowar laid stress on evolving a comprehensive strategy and action plan to resolve the man elephant conflict. Maharani Gayatri Devi said that she was impressed with the assembly of so many domestic elephants at the festival ground, while eminent travel writer Mark Shand reminded the gathering of the State’s great tradition connecting with elephants. Sittidet Mahasavangkut of the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre laid stress on employing elephants in tourism industry. This will improve man-elephant relation and will also help promoting tourism industry, he said, adding ‘in Thailand we are doing this’. Dr U Mar from Myanmar also laid stress on a societal effort that can effectively resolve the conflict between the elephant and man.
In the function lone woman elephant catcher and trainer of the world Parbati Barua who has shot into prominence world-wide through her acts of capturing elephants with the lasoo method and helping wayward wild elephants to find out their lost tracks, was honoured as the honorary Chief Elephant Warden of Assam. Excise Minister Rameswar Dhanowar presented Smt Barua the citation and some gifts on behalf the State Government. Smt Barua, in her brief address said that it was because of the elephants that she could receive such an honour.
Eminent environmentalist Dr Rabin Banerjee, whose contribution to conservation of State’s wildlife needs no mention today and whose films on Kaziranga helped the wildlife sanctuary attain the status of a national park, was also felicitated by the State Government in the function. However, the 94-year-old Dr Banerjee could not attend the function due to ill health. Golaghat Deputy Commissioner Dr JB Ekka received the citation on behalf of the great environmentalist from Sri Dhanowar.
Earlier, Minister of State for Forests (Independent) Pradyut Bardoloi welcomed the guests and participants of the festival. He said that the State Government has, since the last year, been launching a campaign to sensitise people on the need to protect animal habitats. Meanwhile, four elephant reserves in the State are also in the pipeline. Modalities for the purpose are being worked out, he said. Minister of State for Tourism Smt Ajanta Neog released the souvenir drought out on the occasion, in the function. She laid stress, in her address, on creating a favourable atmosphere for the development of tourism industry in the State.
Eight of the participating elephants saluted the guests and the gathering and demonstrated their skills in picking up the objects dropped by the mahuts, their skills in sam bait and teri bait modes of lying on the ground to help people mount their (elephants’) back and also their skills in lifting the people to their back with the help of the trunk. The participant elephants to also played a football match in which the Western Range defeated the Eastern Range by a one-nil goal through a tie-breaker shootout. Various cultural troupes also performed in the function.
Meanwhile, the exhibition organised in connection with the festival, has drawn a good number of visitors. The organisers found the response of the entrepreneurs also as most encouraging. They had to refuse stalls to many entrepreneurs because of their already exhausting the space created for the exhibition. The stall put up by the Forest Department in the exhibition on elephants has been attracting maximum visitors. It was planned by Sri Upendranath Talukdar, ACF and it has most of the items and information related with elephants on display. At the time of filing this report, a stakeholders meet is on at the Kohora Interpretation Centre. Chief Wildlife Wardens of the seven NE States will meet tomorrow for the purpose of evolving a solution to man-elephant conflict in the region. As part of the festival cultural programmes with emphasis on traditional and ethnic culture have also been planned. An elephant race has also been planned for tomorrow.