Ravi Baiga was killed this morning 3rd October 2019 by Sundargaj elephant at coomhi kachhar camp.
Elephant is the most dangerous animal on earth I am writing here some of my experiences.
Sabir and Shivaji. Kanha - These two had the best relationship in every aspect. Sabir never spoke to his elephant in harsh words or never shown any anger to him.
Once Sabir was sent to Sarguja in wild elephant operation and his Elephant was taken care by his Characutter. When he came in Masth he killed a forest guard near Kopedabri camp.
After this Shivaji gone so mad that even park was closed for tourism for few days. He was chasing any vehicle seen on road.
I was told by Lakhnu Mahavat that when he use to run his chain use to ahead of him.
At last Forest deptt decided that either we capture him or eliminate him.
somehow this news reached to sabir that evening itself so he decided to go and look for his elephant. He told me that he reached Kisli in the morning but by that time tranquilizing team was already gone on elephant so I decided to go on my motorbike.
He reached to the stpot and asked the FD that Sir let me see my elephant first and if he comes o me then well and good otherwise ..
Sabir told us that I called him in the jungle.
और फिर साहब हाथी ने क्या आवाज करी हे। बांस तोड़ता हुआ चर्र मर्र करता हुआ आ के मेरे पास खड़ा हो गया। मैंने बेडी लगाई और उसे घर लाकर बाँध दिया . ( Then he responded to my call immediately. Bamboo noise was giving us the feeling as he is running through the forest. He came and stood next to me. I put a chain in his forelegs and brought him Home.
Here Shivaji was not happy with the Characutter who was treating him while he was in masth.
2 Sabir with Indrajeet.: Indrajeet was brought to Kanha from Sonpur Mela in 1980-81. We remember him as Langdi haathi in those days. This name was given to him by a 3 year old boy Vinod Ramchandran who saw him limping. Initially Indrajeet had slight limp in his hind leg.
There was no extra Mahavat or Characutter there so Sabir was given the responsibility of looking after him. Sabir treated him like he was treating Shivaji.
In due course Indrajeet was sent to Bandhavgarh.
One day Sabir came to Bandhavgarh and met us. We asked him to be ready in the morning for the jungle.
Me Kay and Sabir reached to Chakradhara there we saw that Tiger show was already going on.
Sabir asked me if that elephant to whom Mantu was riding is Indrajeet. I said yes.
Sabir asked me shall I call him? I said yes why not.
Mantu had 4 foreigners with him n elephant and he was about 200 mtrs away from us.
Sabir called him just once. Within seconds we saw Indrajeet stopping.
Sabir called him again.
Now Indrajeet turned back and started walking towards us.
Mantu could not control his elephant.
We were just laughing that let us see what he does to you now.
Indrajeet came straight to Sabir.
Sabir kissed him on his trunk and we saw Sabir and Indrajeet crying.
3 : Kuttappan with Gautam. A tiger show was going on at Mahaman. In those days Kuttappan use to ride Gautam. During that Tiger show while standing near the jeep Kuttappan dropped his Ankush. He got off the elephant to collect his Ankush but after that his beloved elephant Gautam did not let him go on his back.
Kuttappan tried his best and failed so he decided to walk him back to Bathan Camp.
Me and Kay were there in our Jeep so I said it's not good to leave him alone with angry elephant so we drove behind him. Later on we thought that that was the most foolish act of us.. If he would have turned on us then we had no chance to get away from him.
When we reached to Badhaini junction there we heard Siddhnath elephant coming. There Kuttappan climbed on Siddhnath and then jumped on Gautam.
Now Kuttappan was in command so we left them there.
Me with Sundargaj. - I was leading a group and met Kuttappan on his elephant in chorbehra. I got off the Gypsy and stood right in front of the gypsy, talking to Kuttappan. His elephant brought his trunk to my hand which was resting on Gypsy bonnett. I showed him my empty hand.
Then he brought his trunk to my other hand and I showed that hand also which was empty.
I was talking to Kuttappan so we both did not had our attention on this elephant. This elephant just push me by his tusk so I was leaning on his tusk and then he just flicked me over the Gypsy.
Tourist sitting in Gypsy saw me flying over there head. With a great thud I landed 5 feet behind the Gypsy. Then I saw people talking to me and sprinkling water on my face.
They wanted me to talk to them but God knows why I was not in a position to talk. Someone told me to close my eyes for 5 minutes and relax. Yes that's what he said to me and I smiled. Someone said Oh he is alright.
Anyway after 6 days when I got the Xray report in my hand mentioning four fractured ribs.
Indrajeet and Chanchalpyari : Chanchalpyari was a virgin female here in Bandhavgarh. All other female use to chose Gautam and this use to frustrate him.
Only female elephant which was free was Chanchalpyari but she was not at all interested in Indrajith's moves.
One day when Tiger show was going on Indrajeet pushed Chanchalpyari so hard that she fell on a Gypsy and died within weeks.
Again his Mahavat could not control him.
4 . Siddhnath and Kuttappan : Once Siddhnath along with his Mahavat was transferred to Pachmarhi. Siddhnath nether could produce a medical certificate nor any other excuse so he was sent to Pachmarhi without his Mahavat.
Now Siddhnath who was a young leader here found himself completely isolated in Pachmarhi and that too without his Master. there was nobody to console him.
What he did ? He turned back on his Mahavat and killed two Mahavats in within months.
One day when he was tied to a tree somehow reached to the rope where Mahavats put their laundry to dry.
He picked Mantu's clothes and tore apart them.
When Mantu saw this he left for Bandhavgarh immediately.
I can write few more stories like these but the question is how to predict his temperament.
What happened today with Ravi Baiga only Ravi or Sundargaj could tols us but Ravi is not there and Sundargaj cant speak so we have to wait if I get some more info that how it happened.
RIP Ravi.
You will be remembered here in Bandhavgarh for your good work with elephants.
Elephant is the most dangerous animal on earth I am writing here some of my experiences.
Sabir and Shivaji. Kanha - These two had the best relationship in every aspect. Sabir never spoke to his elephant in harsh words or never shown any anger to him.
Once Sabir was sent to Sarguja in wild elephant operation and his Elephant was taken care by his Characutter. When he came in Masth he killed a forest guard near Kopedabri camp.
After this Shivaji gone so mad that even park was closed for tourism for few days. He was chasing any vehicle seen on road.
I was told by Lakhnu Mahavat that when he use to run his chain use to ahead of him.
At last Forest deptt decided that either we capture him or eliminate him.
somehow this news reached to sabir that evening itself so he decided to go and look for his elephant. He told me that he reached Kisli in the morning but by that time tranquilizing team was already gone on elephant so I decided to go on my motorbike.
He reached to the stpot and asked the FD that Sir let me see my elephant first and if he comes o me then well and good otherwise ..
Sabir told us that I called him in the jungle.
और फिर साहब हाथी ने क्या आवाज करी हे। बांस तोड़ता हुआ चर्र मर्र करता हुआ आ के मेरे पास खड़ा हो गया। मैंने बेडी लगाई और उसे घर लाकर बाँध दिया . ( Then he responded to my call immediately. Bamboo noise was giving us the feeling as he is running through the forest. He came and stood next to me. I put a chain in his forelegs and brought him Home.
Here Shivaji was not happy with the Characutter who was treating him while he was in masth.
2 Sabir with Indrajeet.: Indrajeet was brought to Kanha from Sonpur Mela in 1980-81. We remember him as Langdi haathi in those days. This name was given to him by a 3 year old boy Vinod Ramchandran who saw him limping. Initially Indrajeet had slight limp in his hind leg.
There was no extra Mahavat or Characutter there so Sabir was given the responsibility of looking after him. Sabir treated him like he was treating Shivaji.
In due course Indrajeet was sent to Bandhavgarh.
One day Sabir came to Bandhavgarh and met us. We asked him to be ready in the morning for the jungle.
Me Kay and Sabir reached to Chakradhara there we saw that Tiger show was already going on.
Sabir asked me if that elephant to whom Mantu was riding is Indrajeet. I said yes.
Sabir asked me shall I call him? I said yes why not.
Mantu had 4 foreigners with him n elephant and he was about 200 mtrs away from us.
Sabir called him just once. Within seconds we saw Indrajeet stopping.
Sabir called him again.
Now Indrajeet turned back and started walking towards us.
Mantu could not control his elephant.
We were just laughing that let us see what he does to you now.
Indrajeet came straight to Sabir.
Sabir kissed him on his trunk and we saw Sabir and Indrajeet crying.
3 : Kuttappan with Gautam. A tiger show was going on at Mahaman. In those days Kuttappan use to ride Gautam. During that Tiger show while standing near the jeep Kuttappan dropped his Ankush. He got off the elephant to collect his Ankush but after that his beloved elephant Gautam did not let him go on his back.
Kuttappan tried his best and failed so he decided to walk him back to Bathan Camp.
Me and Kay were there in our Jeep so I said it's not good to leave him alone with angry elephant so we drove behind him. Later on we thought that that was the most foolish act of us.. If he would have turned on us then we had no chance to get away from him.
When we reached to Badhaini junction there we heard Siddhnath elephant coming. There Kuttappan climbed on Siddhnath and then jumped on Gautam.
Now Kuttappan was in command so we left them there.
Me with Sundargaj. - I was leading a group and met Kuttappan on his elephant in chorbehra. I got off the Gypsy and stood right in front of the gypsy, talking to Kuttappan. His elephant brought his trunk to my hand which was resting on Gypsy bonnett. I showed him my empty hand.
Then he brought his trunk to my other hand and I showed that hand also which was empty.
I was talking to Kuttappan so we both did not had our attention on this elephant. This elephant just push me by his tusk so I was leaning on his tusk and then he just flicked me over the Gypsy.
Tourist sitting in Gypsy saw me flying over there head. With a great thud I landed 5 feet behind the Gypsy. Then I saw people talking to me and sprinkling water on my face.
They wanted me to talk to them but God knows why I was not in a position to talk. Someone told me to close my eyes for 5 minutes and relax. Yes that's what he said to me and I smiled. Someone said Oh he is alright.
Anyway after 6 days when I got the Xray report in my hand mentioning four fractured ribs.
Indrajeet and Chanchalpyari : Chanchalpyari was a virgin female here in Bandhavgarh. All other female use to chose Gautam and this use to frustrate him.
Only female elephant which was free was Chanchalpyari but she was not at all interested in Indrajith's moves.
One day when Tiger show was going on Indrajeet pushed Chanchalpyari so hard that she fell on a Gypsy and died within weeks.
Again his Mahavat could not control him.
4 . Siddhnath and Kuttappan : Once Siddhnath along with his Mahavat was transferred to Pachmarhi. Siddhnath nether could produce a medical certificate nor any other excuse so he was sent to Pachmarhi without his Mahavat.
Now Siddhnath who was a young leader here found himself completely isolated in Pachmarhi and that too without his Master. there was nobody to console him.
What he did ? He turned back on his Mahavat and killed two Mahavats in within months.
One day when he was tied to a tree somehow reached to the rope where Mahavats put their laundry to dry.
He picked Mantu's clothes and tore apart them.
When Mantu saw this he left for Bandhavgarh immediately.
I can write few more stories like these but the question is how to predict his temperament.
What happened today with Ravi Baiga only Ravi or Sundargaj could tols us but Ravi is not there and Sundargaj cant speak so we have to wait if I get some more info that how it happened.
RIP Ravi.
You will be remembered here in Bandhavgarh for your good work with elephants.
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