Karnataka - Mangalore   

Elephant ride excites children at Pilikula park

Photo: R. Eswarraj

Slow and steady: Children going on an elephant ride at the Pilikula park near Mangalore on Saturday. —

MANGALORE: Nine-year-old Pratheeksha Kamath of Kundapur was excited as she waited for her turn for a ride on the elephant Durgaparameshwari at the Shivaram Karanth Biological Park at Pilikula, on the outskirts of Mangalore.

“It walks slowly. That is what I like most about it,” she said about the elephant as she watched the 51-year-old animal effortlessly carrying a few people on her back.

Groups of people — families with children in particular — have been queuing up at the elephant enclosure in the park, which launched the rides on Friday. Pratheeksha was waiting with her cousin Mahima Nayak and Mahima’s father, Lakshminarayan Nayak.

Mr. Nayak, who lives in Mumbai and is here to visit Pratheeksha’s family, said he had never taken an elephant ride with the family, and he was eagerly looking forward to the experience. He decided to take the ride after seeing an advertisement at the entrance to the park. Those who took the ride seemed on top of the world as they couldn’t seem to stop smiling. The park’s director, H.J. Bhandary, told The Hindu that children (up to the age of 15) would be charged Rs. 20 each and others Rs. 50 each for the elephant ride. Initially the rides would be available between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

They would be available throughout the day after the arrival of another elephant from Dubare forest in Kodagu district, he said. One of the elephants that took part in the Dasara festivities in Mysore was expected to be brought here. Mr. Bhandary said the park had to make quick arrangements for the rides owing to rising demand. A special stand has been erected in order to help children climb on to the elephants.

The park has also put up signboards offering information on the elephant rides.

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