Mahouts, assistants and their family members and neighbours, and tourists congregated in various locations of the Gorumara National Park in Jalpaiguri district on Wednesday to offer puja to the kunkis or domesticated elephants of the forest department.
Priests conducted rituals to venerate the animals on the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja. The elephant is Vishwakarma’s mount.
In the morning, arrangements were made to offer puja to all 22 domesticated elephants of the department in Gorumara. The mahouts and the patawalas (assistants, who arrange fodder for the elephants) guided the elephants to the Murti river and other streams. They were given a bath and later, motifs were made on their heads, trunks, and ears with colours, and finally, they were garlanded.
Mahouts and their assistants with pet elephants in the Jaldapara National Park on Wednesday. Anirban Choudhury
“It has been a practice to worship the elephants on the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja. We also promote the practice as we believe that it encourages conservation of elephants,” said Jeevan Bishwakarma, the beat officer of the Dhupjhora forest beat.
The kunkis were brought to their enclosures at places like Dhupjhora, Medla and Tondu where priests performed the puja. The elephants were then offered heaps of fruits.
Along with the mahouts, their families and residents of neighbouring villages offered puja and fruits to the animals.
Tourists who are visiting the Dooars also joined them. Many tourists were seen clicking selfies with the elephants as the mahouts monitored the animals. “All the domesticated elephants are employees of the department. Today, they were granted a day’s leave and none was assigned any work,” said a forester.
Sources in the department said that as the forests reopened for visitors, tickets would be issued for them to watch elephants taking a bath in rivers and streams.
“Earlier, tourists were allowed to give the elephants a bath, but now, we have decided that tourists should keep a distance from the elephants to avoid any unforeseen incident,” an officer said.
Similarly, the kunkis in the Jaldapara National Park, which is in the neighbouring Alipurduar district, were venerated. The animals were decorated and offered different fruits along with regular fodder, sources said.
Additional reporting by our Alipurduar correspondent