Mela shikar
Encyclopedia
Lasso
A lasso , also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata , is a loop of rope that is designed to be thrown around a target and tighten when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb; to lasso is to successfully throw the loop of rope around something...
ing a wild elephant from the back of a trained one, called a koonki
Koonki
Koonki is a specially trained elephant used in Mela shikar to capture wild elephants. They are used to chase the wild elephants, help in lassoing and dragging them to the depot. They are particularly trained to follow the "foot commands" from their mahouts and to move silently during the entire...
. This practice is prevalent in the north eastern part of India
Seven Sister States
The Seven Sister States also called "Paradise Unexplored" is a name given to the contiguous states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland & Tripura in northeastern India. These states cover an area of about 250,000 sq. km. or about 7 percent of India's total area. They...
, especially in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and is one of the methods seen in ancient India. Other traditional elephant capture methods include: khedda
Khedda
A khedda was a stockade trap for the capture of elephants that was used in India. The elephants were driven into the stockade by skilled mahouts mounted on domesticated elephants....
, byle shikar, snaring, pit method, and decoying by using a female koonki to lure a male elephant. Mela shikar used to be organized twice a year - after Durga Puja
Durga Puja
Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
and during Bihu
Bihu
Bihu denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam and celebrated by the Assamese diaspora around the world. Though they owe their origins to ancient rites and practices they have taken definite urban features and have become popular festivals in urban and commercialized milieus in...
.
The method
Mela shikar requires the services of a skilled mahoutMahout
A mahout is a person who drives an elephant. The word mahout comes from the Hindi words mahaut and mahavat. Usually, a mahout starts as a boy in the 'family business' when he is assigned an elephant early in its life and they would be attached to each other throughout the elephant's life.The most...
who is known as a Phandi
Phandi
Phandi is an expert on lassoing a wild elephant in Mela shikar. A mahout becomes Phandi after passing a rigorous tests conducted by other phandis. Baro-phandi is equivalent to a master’s degree in elephant capturing. Only a few can aspire to become a Baro-phandi...
. This person is able to lasso
Lasso
A lasso , also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata , is a loop of rope that is designed to be thrown around a target and tighten when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb; to lasso is to successfully throw the loop of rope around something...
a wild elephant whilst mounted on another. The Phandi who is well regarded for his abilities is accompanied by another mahout assistant. Phandis feature in the folklore of North-east India
Seven Sister States
The Seven Sister States also called "Paradise Unexplored" is a name given to the contiguous states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland & Tripura in northeastern India. These states cover an area of about 250,000 sq. km. or about 7 percent of India's total area. They...
. Since 1977, this and all other methods of capturing elephants are illegal, but prior to the 1977 legislation, it has been estimated that mela shikar was used to lasso between three and four hundred elephants per annum in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
alone.
There are three distinct reasons that make the shikar a safe one.
- It is completely selective, with a rifle than that of the shotgun used in KheddaKheddaA khedda was a stockade trap for the capture of elephants that was used in India. The elephants were driven into the stockade by skilled mahouts mounted on domesticated elephants....
. It usually targets carefully studied and selected animals, preferably the younger ones that are more pliable. - The death-rate is low here since comparatively few elephants are caught at one time with sufficient manpower to take care of the captives.
- Mortality during mahoutship and training is low for all personnel engaged are highly skilled.
Gazali shikar
Gazali shikar is a variation of Mela shikar. Gazali in AssameseAssamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
means the young shoot
Shoot
Shoots are new plant growth, they can include stems, flowering stems with flower buds, and leaves. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop...
s of grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es. Elephants are very fond of Gazali that sprout up
Sprouting
Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten either raw or cooked.They are a convenient way to have fresh vegetables for salads, or otherwise, in any season and can be germinated at home or produced industrially...
during pre-monsoon showers in May–June. They get attracted towards grassy patch
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
es giving the Phandi
Phandi
Phandi is an expert on lassoing a wild elephant in Mela shikar. A mahout becomes Phandi after passing a rigorous tests conducted by other phandis. Baro-phandi is equivalent to a master’s degree in elephant capturing. Only a few can aspire to become a Baro-phandi...
s a good opportunity to capture.
Legal issues
Before 1977, elephants were under Schedule-II (Part-I) of the Wildlife Protection ActWildlife Protection Act of 1972
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 refers to a sweeping package of legislation enacted in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks...
, which granted elephants the status of "special game" for which it could be killed, captured or traded commercially under license. In 1977, the elephant was brought under Schedule-I of the Act, which made its capture illegal. This ban led to the gradual extinction of a line of specially trained mahout
Mahout
A mahout is a person who drives an elephant. The word mahout comes from the Hindi words mahaut and mahavat. Usually, a mahout starts as a boy in the 'family business' when he is assigned an elephant early in its life and they would be attached to each other throughout the elephant's life.The most...
s or Phandis.
According to S.S. Bisht, the former director of Project Elephant
Project Elephant
Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide financial and technical support of wildlife management efforts by states for their free ranging populations of wild Asian Elephants...
and Senior forest Service officer,
"Under Section 12 of the Forest Protection Act, permission to catch elephants can only be given by the Centre
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
for population control and scientific research. Last time such permission was given to Assam was in the ’80s".
Effect of the 1977 legislation on phandis
The ban has left many of the phandis jobless and homeless. Prohibited from earning a living with their specialized skills, they had to work odd jobs such as becoming daily wage earners. The government settled 1000 families in thirteen villages near the Assam-Arunachal border. In 2006, the residents were evicted, their houses were bulldozed or burnt down, and some residents were physically assaulted. Since that time, the jungle has reclaimed the villages.Rehabilitation
According to Xodou Axom Hati Phando Xonmilon Union, an organization working for the rehabilitation of the jobless phandis, only 37 phandis are given employment by the government since 1972. According to Jayant Narlikar, Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur, around 170 families have been provided money and land in the district.Quotations
Renowned elephant experts and veteran phandis express their reactions and opinions as follows:- Expert phandi Parbati BaruaParbati BaruaParbati Barua is the first female mahout in recent recorded history, and a citizen of India.Born to Late Prakritish Chandra Barua of the Royal Family Of Gauripur . She came to the limelight after the BBC created the documentary "Queen of the Elephants" based on her life, along with the companion...
says, "If nothing is done now, the art of Mela shikar is sure to die soon because there won’t be any expert phandi around to teach his art to the new generation. I do not know whether it will be allowed once again. But I do not see any harm if Mela shikar is occasionally allowed. That will provide livelihood to hundreds of phandis and keep the man-elephant conflict in control".
- Renowned elephant expert Dhritikanta Lahiri Choudhury says, " The Project Elephant CommitteeProject ElephantProject Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide financial and technical support of wildlife management efforts by states for their free ranging populations of wild Asian Elephants...
already has a resolution on Mela shikar. That is, the technique of mela shikar can be used, but only to scare away wild herds. For reducing the number of elephants, however, tranquilization is a much better and effective option. Mela shikar is a very old technique. We find the oldest instance of this art in the records of Alexander the Great’s campaigns in the Orient. At that time, even he had captured elephants. It was then considered sport. There’s a belief Mela shikar harms elephants. That’s not true."
- Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Suresh Chand says, "From the point of social responsibility, rehabilitation of phandis has to be done. But it’s a very complex issue. We understand the problems of the phandis, but cannot decide on anything."
- Veterinarian and elephant expert Kushal K Sarma says, "Why is the issue of rehabilitation coming up? Trapping wild elephants can never be justified. Besides, elephant trapping is a seasonal affair, so how did phandis survive the rest of the year? They used to cultivate land. So, the question of rehabilitation doesn’t arise at all."
Revival of the shikar
In 2009, Assam has sought permission from the CentreGovernment of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
to revive the Mela shikar. The state wants to put the captured and tamed animals on government duty - to carry guards and tourists in wildlife sanctuaries and to transport EVMs and polling officials to remote areas. It also hopes that the move will contain the human-elephant conflict.