Indian safari park provides its elephants “day off” from work on Hindu festival

Record ID: 1637329

  • Title: Indian safari park provides its elephants “day off” from work on Hindu festival
  • Date: 17th September 2021
  • Summary: SILIGURI, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2021) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) ENTRY GATE OF BENGAL SAFARI PARK MAHOUTS (TRAINERS) MAKING MURALS ON ELEPHANTS MAHOUT WALKING WITH ELEPHANTS MURAL ON ELEPHANT READING (English): "LAXMI" FRUITS PLACES IN FRONT OF FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF HINDU ARCHITECT GOD, LORD VISHWAKARMA TOURISTS FEEDING ELEPHANTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST, PRIYAM, SAYING: "It is a really a one-of-kind experience over here which is very unique and I will keep it to my heart for my lifetime. (REPORTER ASKING: What have you learned?) I actually have learned to embrace and empathise with the elephants over here." MAHOUTS WITH ELEPHANTS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DIRECTOR, BENGAL SAFARI PARK, BADAL DEBNATH, SAYING: "The elephants are not our enemies; they are our friends. All the elephants in our zoo, and other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries allow people to ride on them, this shows they are our friends." MAHOUTS WITH ELEPHANTS
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2021 15:27
  • Keywords: India Siliguri West Bengal decorated elephants environment tourists wildlife
  • Location: SILIGURI, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
  • City: SILIGURI, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Environment,Nature/Wildlife
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EV3WNYN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: India's famous Bengal Safari Park in eastern West Bengal state's Siliguri city provided its elephants a day off from their safari services on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Vishwakarma Puja.
    The two elephants, Laxmi and Urmila were decorated with murals and worshipped by tourists, and provided with fruits on Friday (September 17) as they are considered to be the vehicle of Lord Vishwakarma, the Hindu architect god.
    The elephant rides are the primary attraction of the park, spread in an area of over 700 acres.
    "I actually have learned to embrace and empathise with the elephants over here," said a tourist Priyam.
    India has over 50 percent of Asiatic elephants considered to be the most intelligent animals. Elephants in India, numbering around 25,000 in the wild, are an endangered species.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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