Rs 50,000 to hire celebrity elephant

Hyderabad: Rajani, an elephant which has become a regular star attraction at the Mahankali Jatras and Muharam, has now become expensive to hire. Hiring the 48-year old giant just for a few hours can now cost organisers about Rs 50,000. The rental was Rs 15,000 last year. The elephant also comes with a set of conditions. imposed by the Nehru Zoological Park authorities — including police permission for function, the route on which the animal moves, no crowds around the animal, no bursting of crackers in front of the animal etc.

And just like a VIP, Rajani doesn’t come alone. A team of 10 handlers from the zoo including two mahouts, veterinary doctors and other staff accompany her from the zoo to the function and back! The famous Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandiram at Haribowli in Old City, who were hiring Rajani, were stumped recently when the zoo authorities sought a sum of '40,000.
“Hiring an elephant is a tedious and costly affair now. Last year, we spent about Rs 15,000 but this year, we will have to shell out Rs 50,000. We have paid DDs totalling '40,000 to the zoo,’’ G. Niranjan, President, Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandiram told the Deccan Chronicle.

Zoo curator Ms Shivani Dogra said elephants are given on hire through a special permission for some religious events in the city. “It costs about Rs 5 lakh per annum to maintain an elephant. We have five elephants including one seized from the circus. We give the animal on hire for four or five events in a year. Our focus remains on the animal’s safety and the safety of the public around it,’’ she explained.

She added, “Police permission is a must and organisers have been made responsible for the safe return of the animal to the zoo after the event.’’ The Environment, Forests, Science and Technology Department granted permission to three temples this year to hire elephants for religious processions. They are the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple for Bonalu jatra (July 25), Sri Nalla Pochamma temple, Sabjimandi (July 31) and Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandiram, Haribowli (August 1).