Since time immemorial human being has been using animals in different fields to fulfil their needs. In recent past, however, use of animals in some entertainment activities like circus had been banned. But the tradition of using animals in work field is prevalent even in today’s civilized world.

Among the animals that can be domesticated, elephant, the largest living land mammal, is the most intelligent and agile. Taking advantage of its obedient and loyal characteristics, this gentle giant has been used in various fields from war to lugging log since the days of Raja-Maharajas. However, this gentle animal is revered and worshipped equally all over the country as an another form of Lord Ganesha.

As I learnt about two elephant calves that were brought to train up under the Kohora forest range, Kaziranga, I decided to have a glimpse of the training course. For this I spared my morning hour and watched regularly the lovable calves for a week. This is an account of my observation and interaction with the mahout (trainer) deployed for the calves.

On the day that I went to see the calves, they were seen hobbled separately under a peepul tree in the nearby field of the departmental barrack. They seemed pretty innocent. Sympathy grew naturally in me after seeing the calves tied to their legs at such tender age. The mahout, in-charge to impart training to these calves — Umesh Rabha, a middle aged man, who has already served thirty years for the department, told me their names i.e. Joydev and Biswajeet.

For Rabha it (to train up an elephant calf) is not an easy job as one may guess. He declaimed that he had imparted training to seven calves already and they are serving for the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) now. Rabha explained how it is difficult to separate the calf from their mother and breaking their habit of living with parental care.

Trapping and separation of calf is performed with the help of two trained elephants and experienced mahout. After separation, the calf is taken to a place which is far way and not seen by their parents. The first three-four days are very testing and painful for both the calf and the mahout. Because, being intelligent enough, the calf can’t forget his mother and her affection, and abstains from taking any foodstuff. At the same time, the mahout strives to feed the calf and tries to adopt it with the new atmosphere. Sometimes, the mahout offers tits and bits to lure and establish a bond of trust with the calf.

Within few days, the calf begins to take food and reconcile itself with the new atmosphere. Hostility of the animal also turns into docile obedience gradually. At this time, the mahout begins to put his instinct and sings some traditional songs. This typical songs are performed by the mahout along with other helpers. This is done for several days. Rabha says this particular rite is carried out to allay the baby elephant and thus it can be tranquillized to some extent.

As the calf becomes calm, the mahout begins to pat and rub its body with some loose shrub or straw. Rubbing the body of the calf with a mild pressure immunes its tickle and it would make the elephant to ply everything on its back in future without being disturbed with ticklish feeling. According to Rabha, patting is the ‘chief’ among other tricks to make understand any ‘command’ to the calf.

With the time the mahout becomes able to establish a bond of trust and understanding with the calf. At this stage, the calf is taken to the village road for walking being guided by two trained elephants on both the sides of it. By this time, the mahout rides on its back and begins to harp the commands in a particular jargon.

As days pass a single trained elephant is used to guide the calf instead of two as was done earlier. Within this period, the calf comes under control of the mahout and begins to respond to his commands. Now the mahout alone can lead the calf along the road without the help of other trained elephants. Of course, in this stage of training, ankush (a double spiked iron tool) is also used by the mahout to compel the calf to obey his commands. Ankush is used to chastise the elephant whenever it behaves disobediently towards the command of his master.

Commenting on the jargon (command), Rabha says there are around 45 words which are used to extract work or to be done something by the elephant. Yet, eight of them are most important and taught at the initial stage of training. These are dhat (to stop), pichu (to go back), aaget (to go ahead), chhei (to turn), daley (to raise the trunk), dhor-dhor (to grip something with the trunk), beth (to sit), tere (to take position as in sleep), etc. Within a period of three to six months, the calf perceives all the necessary commands and becomes able to render service according to its master’s command.

Of course, a newly-trained elephant is not put into work immediately, rather they are engaged in other trivial works. According to Rabha, generally after one year of completion of the training the concerned authority engages them in ‘elephant riding’ for the visitors whoever want to view the park on elephant back.

However, Joydev and Biswajeet have to culminate a lot and a long way ahead. They have passed just 30 days of the rigorous training and they will have to undergo the training few months more. Of course with an experienced mahout like Umesh Rabha, Joydev and Biswajeet might be able to complete their training smoothly. Because, Rabha knows that love and affection, and not force, can work wonders in imparting training to elephant calves.

Narayan Chetry.