Decks cleared for elephant Roopavathi to attend Bonalu, Muharram processions in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Decks have been cleared for bringing elephant Roopavathi to the city to take part in the processions to be organized during ‘Ashadamasam’ bonalu festivities in twin cities this month.
After Rajani, Laxmi and Madhuri, the 34-year-old elephant, Roopavathi, will be participating in the colourful celebrations for the second consecutive time in the city. She will also take part in the Bibi-ka-Alam procession to be organized on account of Muharram on July 17.
Uncertainty prevailed for the last few days in bringing the elephant to the city due to Central government’s rules on inter-State transportation of captive elephants. This forced Telangana forest department to instruct Bonalu temple committee members and Bibi-ka-Alam procession organizers to get a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Karnataka forest department.
Telangana Endowments department, which coordinates with all the departments for the successful conduct of the Bonalu celebrations starting July 7 to August 4, pursued the matter with its counterparts in Karnataka and succeeded in getting NOC from the Forest department.
It also secured NOC from Telangana Forest department. As decks were cleared, the Endowments department started the process of bringing Roopavathi from a mutt in Davanagere in Karnataka. As Roopavathi was trained in attending religious events in Karnataka and other States, the Endowments department is bringing her this year also for celebrations.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) senior vice-president and Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple Chief Patron G Niranjan confirmed that Roopavathi would participate in the celebrations. The temple committee of Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad will organize a procession with the elephant on July 22 followed by another procession at Sri Nalla Pochamma temple in Sabzimandi on July 28. The same elephant will take part in the procession at Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple on July 29.
Endowments department officials said a five-member team with tranquilizer equipment from the Forest department would accompany Roopavathi during each procession.
