HARVEST SEASON: A local woman from Thuman Village, Rasuwa district, Himalayas in the background dries millet out in the sun. Peasants here in the Himalayan foothills have been busy picking, threshing, and storing millet lately.
Image source: Kathmandu Post
Photo by: Krishna Thapa
International Elephant Race and Elephant Festival will be arranged in the month of December of every year in Chitawan Shauraha. Activities will include:
Sighting of Elephant March Past,
Elephant Bathing,
Elephant Decoration (Traditional Art),
and of course International Elephant Race (highlight)
•Every year, there will be Photo Exhibition and Documentary Shows covering the life cycle of Elephants.
•Publicity campaign will be arranged. (Even BBC along with Chinese, Indian, Korean and Nepali electronic and print media had highlighted the event of 2005.)
•Collect funds (fees, donations etc.) for fulfilling the objectives mentioned above.
The main purpose of the elephant race is to preserve the Elephant in Nepal and there by increasing their numbers and give proper training for carrying tourists, provide rescue and difficult transport services in the deep jungle.
The First International Elephant Race was organized in the Tourist Village of Sauraha in December 26 and 27 of 2005. At that timeThis race was organized for Charity purpose. Twenty-nine elephants had taken part under the banners of national and international teams and some 15,000 domestic and international tourists have participated and were delighted. This event was given coverage by BBC, Chinese and Indian TV channels and was given proper publicity by the entire national newspapers and T.V. channels of Nepal. This was only a small and humble beginning, but it has greatly encourages us to organize this event with better management and larger participation. We can safely target to get 30,000 tourists participation in this event in December 2006, which may last for 4-5 days.
Some Rules and Facts about the Elephant Race festival of Nepal:
• The distance of the elephant race will be 300 meters.
• The track of the elephant race should be straight.
• The width of the track will be 10 meters.
• The participant cannot select the elephant themselves. The elephants of the respective participants will be selected by lottery method.
• Not more than six elephants can participate in the race at a time.
• In the same- finale and finale rounds the participants has to take part with their respective elephants . The elephants cannot be exchanged.
• In case of injury, sickness or any other cases related to elephant behavior of the participating elephant, the elephant could be changed in accordance to the decision made by the selection committee.
• The elephant that has acquired first and second position in the first round will be eligible to participate in the semi-final and the elephants acquired first and second position in the semi-final can participate in the final round.
• After numbering the elephants through lottery method, the elephants will be grouped in a size of five from 1-5, 6-10, 11-15 and so on.
• The track of the participating elephant will be determined before the race begins though lottery method.
• Sticks cannot be used to beat and prick the elephant during the competition.
• "Ankush" cannot be used in normal conditions to control the elephant other than in emergency conditions. Whereby, if the "Ankush" will be used, the elephant will be disqualified form the race.
• From the beginning till the end of the race, the elephant should not go beyond the track line, if so the elephant will be disqualified from the race.
• The participant and the elephant driver are not allowed to use alcohol or any kind of stimulating agents, if found so, both of them will be disqualified along with the elephant.
• The same elephant and the participant taking part in the preliminary round should be in the semi-final and final rounds.
• The decision made by the evaluation committee will be final and cannot be influenced.
