The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : An elephantine problem for Nizam Trust

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 03, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

An elephantine problem for Nizam Trust

By J.S. Ifthekhar

A file photo of the pachyderm, Hashmi, carrying the `dhattis' of the Bibi ka Alam during Muharram.

HYDERABAD, NOV. 2. The Nizam Trust is faced with an elephantine problem. It is looking out for a gentle giant, which is also trained. Ever since Hashmi, an aged pachyderm, died in August, the Nizam Trust has launched a desperate search for a replacement.

The elephant used to carry the historic `Bibi ka Alam' during the Muharram procession and also lead the Bonalu pageant. With Muharram just three months away, the trust is frantically looking out for an elephant.

There is no dearth of elephants with the Nehru Zoological Park, but none of them is trained. In fact, the Nizam Trust itself has acquired a female elephant and handed it over to the zoo in 1993. "We have been requesting zoo authorities to train the elephant, but so far they have not done it," says S.A. Saleem, the in-charge Deputy Director, Nizam Trust.

Training must

Traditionally, the Bibi ka Alam, which contains some holy relics, is taken out on a caparisoned elephant on the 10th day of Muharram every year. The elephant moves in a slow procession from Bibi ka Alwa in Dabeerpura to Chaderghat, accepting floral tributes and `dhattis' en route.

Elephants, which are used in such huge processions, have to be necessarily trained to move in crowds and withstand noise. Police permission for taking out the giants is given only when the animals are trained.

Hashmi used to lead the Muharram procession for the last eight years. It has a long list of predecessors, including the famous `Fateh Nishan' and `Hyderi'.

Costly affair

A trained elephant is a costly proposition. It comes for about Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 6 lakhs. The Nizam Trust is hoping that some good Samaritan will donate a pachyderm.

Raza Ali Hashmi, a Shia leader, donated the elephant that died in August.

The Nizam Trust has also written to the Forest and Tourism Departments to provide a trained animal, which can serve for both Muharram and Bonalu festivals.

A delegation of the Fatima Seva Dal has also made a representation in this connection to the Minorities Welfare Minister, Fareeduddin, and the Information Minister, Mohd. Ali Shabbir.

Destination Kerala?

What will the Nizam Trust do if no trained elephant is found till Muharram? It plans to approach some of the temples in Kerala to lend its pachyderm.

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