Kansa's kingdom faces elephant loss at Odisha's Dhanu Yatra

Three elephants were brought in for Dhanu Yatra in the past but the number has come down to one now as the organising committee has been facing trouble in arranging them for the festival. 
Kansa going round Bargarh town on his elephant during 'Nagara Parikrama'| Express
Kansa going round Bargarh town on his elephant during 'Nagara Parikrama'| Express

BARGARH :  Kansa's  elephant ‘Kuvalaya’ is an integral part of the Dhanu Yatra. Throughout the 11-day-long open air theatrical performance, people look forward to King Kansa moving around the town on his caparisoned elephant during his ‘Nagara Parikrama’.

In fact, the elephant has become an irreplaceable element of the festival, but uncertainty looms over the jumbo treat in years to come. Usually, the elephants for the festival are brought from Uttar Pradesh. However, in recent past,  the organising committee has been facing trouble in arranging them for the festival. 

While  three elephants were brought in earlier for Kansa and other characters, it gradually came down to two and this year only one elephant has been brought for the yatra. And for the rest of Kansa’s allies, camels and a few horses were brought in.

Elephants were not a part of Dhanu Yatra in the beginning in 1947-48 but over the years, they were brought in to attract people and give a touch of reality and adherence to mythology.

As per mythology, King Kansa rode an elephant named Kuvalaya. Organisers said apart from the human characters in Dhanu Yatra, role of the elephant is as vital as that of Kansa and Krishna. A part of the play on the second last day of the yatra revolves around the episode where Kansa decides to send his faithful elephant Kuvalaya to fight Krishna and Balaram which is slayed by the Gods.

The festival involved at least two elephants - one for King Kansa and another for his Mahamantri. People found it amusing to see decorated elephants strolling through the traffic of Bargarh town and trumpeting at the order of the king. The animals became so popular that the organisers had to keep the tradition going on public demand. 

During the 70s, they experimented by replacing Kansa’s ride with a jeep, but this did not go down well with the audience and elephants were brought back. Apart from Kansa, guests of the district administration or VIPs are offered a ride on his elephant during ‘Nagar Parikrama’ from Rajpath Athithi Niwas to Kansa Mancha.

Convenor of Dhanu Yatra Mahotsav Samiti, Sureswar Satpathy said, “We bring elephants only from licensed sources to ensure that they are tamed and are safe to be taken out in the crowd. However, in the absence of a licensed source, we could bring only one elephant this time.” There are no persons or organisations in the nearby states which have the license to supply elephants for the festival which may pose problem next year, he added. 

Locals, on the other hand, said though elephants add charm to the festival it is a risky affair. “The crowd during Dhanu Yatra increases manifold and unlike previous years, use of sound systems and lights is more now. Under such circumstances if the elephant gets out of control, it will create havoc,” said a local Limesh Das. 

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