Insurance cover for elephants participating in Dasara festival

The twelve elephants participating in the annual Dasara festival at Mysore near here later this month have been given an insurance cover.

The Dasara Festival Committee decided to bring the elephants and their mahouts under a short-term insurance policy in view of the unpredictable nature of the elephants. Apart from the elephants and the mahouts, the Committee has even insured public and private property against any possible damage by the elephants.

The Dasara elephants, which are the cynosure of all eyes during the Dasara procession that passes through the main thoroughfares of Mysore, are subjected to daily rehearsals on the five-km procession route.

“This is a short term insurance policy that becomes valid from the date the elephants are brought out of their forest camp. It becomes void once they return to the forests after Dasara”, Deputy Conservator of Forests Yathish Kumar told reporters.

“Elephants are brought to the Mysore from the forests on trucks. They are susceptible to injuries during transportation. They may even cause damage to public or private property during their stay in Mysore. Hence, the insurance cover”, he said.

While the elephants have been insured for a sum ranging between Rs 100,000 to Rs 250,000, the mahouts and other helpers have been insured for a sum of Rs 100,000. The lead elephant Balarama, which carries the 750-kg heavy golden palanquin, has been insured for Rs 250,000.

The Dasara Festival Committee has already paid Rs 29,000 to United India Insurance Company as premium for the insurance of the elephants, mahouts, helpers and property, said Special Officer of Mysore City Corporation Ranganath, who co-ordinated with the insurance company on behalf of the Dasara Festival Committee.

The annual ten-day Dasara festival is scheduled to begin on September 30, but six of the twelve elephants that will be participating in the festivities have already arrived in Mysore for rehearsals.