After Roopavathi, elephant Lakshmi From Karnataka Mutt Will Grace Bonalu Celebrations
Elephant Lakshmi belongs to Sri Karibasava Swamy Mutt at Horapete in Tumkur in Karnataka
Hyderabad: After Roopavathi, Lakshmi, the 33-year-old elephant from Karnataka will grace three processions to be organized during Bonalu celebrations in Secunderabad and old city in July.
Lakshmi belongs to Sri Sri Sri Jagad Guru Chenna Basava Rajendra Maha Samigal at Sri Karibasava Swamy Mutt at Horapete in Tumkur in Karnataka. Decks have been cleared to bring Lakshmi to Hyderabad on July 12 as officials from Telangana Endowments department got transport permit from the Chief Wildlife Warden in Karnataka.
Lakshmi will be first brought to Secunderabad from Tumkur via Bellari for participating in Bonalu procession to be organized on July 14 at Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad. She would also participate in two separate Bonalu processions to be organized at Sri Nalla Pochamma and Mahankali temple at Sabzimandi in Karwan on July 20 and at Sri Akkanna Madanna temple in Haribowli in the old city on July 21.
Lakshmi replaced Roopavathi as representatives of a Mutt to which Roopavathi belonged to in Davanagere in Karnataka expressed unwillingness to send her to Hyderabad this time. This prompted the Endowments department to search for a trained elephant either in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka or Kerala.
Officials then approached Sri Karibasava Swamy Mutt at Horapete and explained its representatives about Bonalu celebrations. The Mutt representatives then agreed to send Lakshmi to Hyderabad.
In the conditions laid down for transporting the elephant, Karnataka Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Subhash K Malkhede, said the elephant for which the transport permit has been granted shall be accompanied by a mahout and an elephant assistant.
A health certificate from a veterinary doctor to the effect that the elephant is fit to travel by road or rail, as the case may be, and is not showing any sign of musth or infectious or contagious disease shall be obtained.
The elephant shall be properly fed and given water before loading. Necessary arrangements shall be made for feeding and watering the elephant on route. Sedatives, if necessary, shall be used to control nervous or temperamental elephants only as prescribed by the veterinary practitioner.
Organizers and the elephant owner shall follow rules and conditions imposed by Telangana forest department and arrange veterinary doctors with a tranquilizing gun and medicine on the day of function or procession.
The elephant owner shall not use the elephant for any other purpose other than this program, Malkhede added.