Elephant Festival: The 18th Elephant and Tourism Festival is in full swing in Sauraha, Chitwan, with both local and international visitors coming to enjoy the celebration of the English New Year and Christmas. The five-day festival, which runs until December 30, is taking place at the Baghmara Intermediate Community Forest, near Chitwan National Park.
The festival aims to promote tourism in the region and has become a popular event for tourists. It features a variety of activities, including elephant parades, a beauty contest, elephant football, and an elephant picnic.
This year, more than 80 elephants, both privately owned and from government-run facilities, are part of the festival. One of the main attractions is the elephant football competition, where teams of elephants compete in penalty shootouts. Elephants named Champakali, Basnatikali, and Ramkali played in the semi-finals, thrilling the audience with their skills and earning plenty of applause.
In response to animal rights concerns, elephant polo has been removed from the festival this year. However, the well-being of the elephants remains a top priority, and the animals are given a 7-minute sugarcane break after every 5 minutes of play, as recommended by the Human Rights Commission.
Alongside the elephant activities, visitors can enjoy cultural performances, including traditional costumes and music. Tourists also have the chance to interact with the elephants by feeding them during daily elephant picnics.
To attract more visitors, local hotels are offering discounts on food and lodging, helping boost hotel occupancy rates in Sauraha from 40% to 65% during the festival.
The Elephant and Tourism Festival continues to grow in popularity, offering a unique mix of wildlife experiences and cultural displays for all who visit. (SHABD)
