Mahouts and kavadis of Dasara elephants demand hike in remuneration

Mysuru: Weeks ahead of Dasara celebration, a bunch of mahouts and kavadis, who are caretakers of elephants in camps, are up in arms demanding pay and facilities on par with watchers and guards of the forest department.

There are 114 elephants being maintained by the government in camps in reserve forests including Nagarahole and Bandipur. Each elephant has two caretakers – a ‘mahout,’ the elephant handler, and a ‘Kavadi,’ an assistant to the handler. A section of them met in Kodagu on Thursday after the government announced its decision to hold Dasara celebration in a grand manner. They decided to press for their long pending demand for a revision of their pay.

They also set a deadline to the government till August 5 and would decide on their next course of action. The forest department is likely to hold ‘Gajapayana’ (the journey of elephants from forest to city) of select Dasara elephants on August 7.

Forest officials say the selection cadre of mahouts and kavadis are different from that of watchers and Guards. This is a long pending demand of elephant caretakers, and their request has been forwarded to the government.

A mahout said, “We’re demanding a hike in our salaries on par with forest watchers and guards, who draw more salary than us. Our nature of job is demanding and dangerous too. Taking care of elephants is nothing short of risking their life. Moreover, handling them during Dasara celebrations in urban places throughout their stay for nearly two months is still challenging. We feel our work is not valued and we are underpaid in proportion to our work. A hike of Rs 4-5k a month is what we’re demanding.”

Nagarahole forest director D Mahesh Kumar told TOI that mahouts and kavadis are appointed under a different cadre. “Now they are demanding pay on par with watchers and guards. A proposal in this regard has been submitted to the government. In Nagarahole, there are about 50 elephant caretakers in the three elephant camps, which have about 25 elephants,” he said.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve director Ramesh Kumar says about three dozen elephant caretakers are there in Ramapura elephant camp inside the forest.

Abhimanyu to carry howdah

Forest department, which held a meeting on Thursday, has shortlisted 14 elephants for Dasara celebration including Abhimanyu and Arjuna. An officer said Abhimanyu is likely to carry the golden howdah this year and Arjuna, who had carried the howdah seven times, will be part of the celebration. The elephants are likely to arrive in Mysuru in two batches from different elephant camps in the first and second week of August.