MYSORE: Dodda Masti, the mahout of howdah elephant Arjuna, belongs to the fourth generation of his family that is into the Dasara assignment.
A few years ago, the fifth generation entered the profession, with his second son Sannappa becoming a kavadi. Two of his other sons — Bola and Ganesh — work as helpers tending to Dasara elephants, though on contract basis.
Even the children of his three sons enjoy helping their fathers in washing and feeding the jumbos.
What has made these tribals stick to the job for generations is not just that it earns them a living but because of their strong belief that it is “god’s work”.
“We will continue this profession by handing over the baton to the next generation for as long as mankind survives,” said J K Dhobi, the mahout of elephant ‘Cauvery’.
Though the government has come up with schools near haadis where these tribals reside, it has not made a big impact on the younger ones especially the boys. Most of the tribal children are seen picking up the skills of washing, feeding and giving commands to the tamed elephants.
The 53-year-old Dhobi says once the elephants are fully tamed, they allow mahouts’ children go near them and over a period of time, the jumbos develop a bond with the children.
“It’s our children and grandchildren who give bath to the elephants and feed them when we are sick or busy with some other works. Thus, the children develop a strong bond with the elephants. Thus they too end up as mahouts and kavadis,” he said.
While Dhobi’s son J D Shari is the mahout of elephant Gopi, his 12-year-old grandson Sanjan is now learning the art of tending elephants.
Thirty-one-year-old Mahesh, son of Chikkanna who was the mahout of Jayaprakash, a yesteryear Dasara elephant, feeds the elephants for a daily wage of Rs 180.
Though he has learnt driving, it is the strong bond with elephants that has kept him in a work where he can be close to the elephants.
The mahouts say though the government insists them to get their children educated to improve their living conditions, “practically it is not possible”.
“We feel as if we have lost a family member when an elephant we have tamed dies or is sent to other states. Some get dejected and take to drinking,” said a mahout.