Elephants are back to where the tradition deserves.

At Sonepur Mela, altogether 39 tuskers claimed their territory at the traditional Hathi Bazaar (elephant market) by Wednesday evening, the inaugural day of the month-long cattle fair, making it the third year in the row witnessing a rising trend in the arrival of these majestic animals.

Elephant owners claimed that around five more tuskers are expected at the fair by Thursday morning to participate in the age-old ritual of Hathi Snan on Kartik Purnima.

The elephant owners attributed the rising trend in the arrival of jumbos to improved incentives from the Saran district administration. “The administration is providing various incentives, including free fodder, lighting at the Hathi Bazaar and separate bathing ghat for the elephants. The number of elephants is increasing since the past three years and it could have been even more if more publicity is made about the incentives,” said Braj Nandan Singh, an elephant owner from Vaishali, who has been coming to Sonepur Mela since 1960.

“The number of elephants at Sonepur fair is definitely more this time,” said Manoj Kumar Singh, landowner of Hathi Bazaar.

The elephants at Sonepur Mela come from all across the state and even from Uttar Pradesh. As the elephants come walking by road, normally it takes around 10-20 days to arrive them at the fair venue on the Gandak riverbank.

Trade of elephants has been prohibited at Sonepur fair and across the country since 2002 due to the strict implementation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and further denial of transfer of ownership certificate to the elephant owners. Elephant owners claimed that after the ban on trade of tuskers, they are brought at the fair for exhibition purpose only and at times, to continue the family tradition.

Some seemed in disagreement with the ban on trade or transfer of ownership of tuskers. “I understand that the ban is to save this animal but what will happen if an elephant owner is financially unable to take care of the animal? He would be forced to keep the elephant and that could turn out to be more risky for the animal’s health,” said Ranvijay Singh, an elephant owner from Ara, who has come to Sonepur with two elephants.

In a bid to improve and optimise the welfare of captive elephants, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) would start its 13th annual health check-up camp at Sonepur from Thursday. The WTI would also advise mahouts and elephant owners on scientific husbandry and management practices during the weeklong camp.

Achintya Tripathi, assistant project officer at WTI, who arrived at the fair venue on Wednesday said: “The body condition, age, foot pads, toenails in both fore and hind limbs and eyes among other body parts would be examined for any ailments and treatment would also be provided accordingly. We also check for the presence of microchip in the tuskers as per Project Elephant initiative taken up by the ministry of environment and forest in 2002. These microchips help in keeping a track on the population of captive elephants.”