The elephant keepers

Dawn.com Published February 7, 2012
Elephant are bathed by mahouts at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Some 50 elephants, mostly from the central part of the island, together with thousands of traditional drummers, dancers, and monks gathered in the Sri Lankan capital to participate in the city's biggest two-day annual Buddhist procession. ? AFP Photo
Elephant are bathed by mahouts at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Some 50 elephants, mostly from the central part of the island, together with thousands of traditional drummers, dancers, and monks gathered in the Sri Lankan capital to participate in the city's biggest two-day annual Buddhist procession. ? AFP Photo
Onlookers gather to watch an elephant bathed by his mahout at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ? AFP Photo
Onlookers gather to watch an elephant bathed by his mahout at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ? AFP Photo
Mahouts wash their elephants ahead of Nawam poya Perahera at Viharamahadevi Park, in Colombo. The Perahera festival commemorates the full moon day of Navam Poya, significant to Sri Lankan Buddhists as the first ever Buddhist Council was held on the same day. ? Reuters Photo
Mahouts wash their elephants ahead of Nawam poya Perahera at Viharamahadevi Park, in Colombo. The Perahera festival commemorates the full moon day of Navam Poya, significant to Sri Lankan Buddhists as the first ever Buddhist Council was held on the same day. ? Reuters Photo
A tamed elephant puts its trunk into a water pipe at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Hundreds of traditional dancers, drummers, decorated elephants and monks take part in the annual Buddhist procession. ? AP Photo
A tamed elephant puts its trunk into a water pipe at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Hundreds of traditional dancers, drummers, decorated elephants and monks take part in the annual Buddhist procession. ? AP Photo
A tamed elephant brought for an annual Buddhist procession turns towards a group of Sri Lankans at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ? AP Photo
A tamed elephant brought for an annual Buddhist procession turns towards a group of Sri Lankans at a public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ? AP Photo
A mahout carries bells to hang on elephants ahead of Nawam poya Perahera at Viharamahadevi Park, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ? Reuters Photo
A mahout carries bells to hang on elephants ahead of Nawam poya Perahera at Viharamahadevi Park, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ? Reuters Photo
An elephant grabs a bunch of bananas offered by a Buddhist monk in Gangarama Temple in Colombo. ? AFP Photo
An elephant grabs a bunch of bananas offered by a Buddhist monk in Gangarama Temple in Colombo. ? AFP Photo
An Indian mahout washes an elephant from the Lord Jagannathji Temple in Ahmedabad. Elephants are washed daily and kept in a clean and natural environment to keep them healthy and physically fit. ? AFP Photo
An Indian mahout washes an elephant from the Lord Jagannathji Temple in Ahmedabad. Elephants are washed daily and kept in a clean and natural environment to keep them healthy and physically fit. ? AFP Photo
Indian mahouts wash an elephant from the Lord Jagannathji Temple in Ahmedabad. ? AFP Photo
Indian mahouts wash an elephant from the Lord Jagannathji Temple in Ahmedabad. ? AFP Photo
A caparisoned elephant is seen during an annual temple festival in the southern Indian city of Kochi. The festival features a colourful procession of decorated elephants and drum concerts. ? Reuters Photo
A caparisoned elephant is seen during an annual temple festival in the southern Indian city of Kochi. The festival features a colourful procession of decorated elephants and drum concerts. ? Reuters Photo
Mahouts, or elephant drivers, sit in a shadow casted by their elephants who are participating during an annual temple festival in the southern Indian city of Kochi. ? Reuters Photo
Mahouts, or elephant drivers, sit in a shadow casted by their elephants who are participating during an annual temple festival in the southern Indian city of Kochi. ? Reuters Photo

Asian elephants are commonly domesticated and used for religious ceremonies and processions in certain parts of Asia. The art of training elephants has evolved into a family profession, with knowledge being handed down from one generation to the next.

Here is a gallery featuring “mahouts”, or elephant drivers, who are preparing their charges for a Sri Lankan Buddhist festival and a Hindi temple festival. – Photos by Agencies

Read more

On DawnNews
Dawn News English

Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.

Latest Stories

dawn images site

Most Popular

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09

Must Read

Opinion

Editorial

Reserved seats
Updated 15 May, 2024

Reserved seats

The ECP's decisions and actions clearly need to be reviewed in light of the country’s laws.
Secretive state
15 May, 2024

Secretive state

THERE is a fresh push by the state to stamp out all criticism by using the alibi of protecting national interests....
Plague of rape
15 May, 2024

Plague of rape

FLAWED narratives about women — from being weak and vulnerable to provocative and culpable — have led to...
Privatisation divide
Updated 14 May, 2024

Privatisation divide

How this disagreement within the government will sit with the IMF is anybody’s guess.
AJK protests
14 May, 2024

AJK protests

SINCE last week, Azad Jammu & Kashmir has been roiled by protests, fuelled principally by a disconnect between...
Guns and guards
14 May, 2024

Guns and guards

THERE are some flawed aspects to our society that we must start to fix at the grassroots level. One of these is the...