Varanasi: A delay in feeding proved enough to upset Dhanraj , an elephant brought for the world-famous Ramnagar Ramlila, who broke his chains and spent several hours in a pond on Monday, triggering panic among people.
Dhanraj broke free from his chains around 11:30 am and made his way into Pampasar pond near Panchvati ground, where the elephants brought for the annual Ramlila are kept along with their mahouts. After several hours of efforts, the elephant finally emerged from the water around 4 pm. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Varanasi | Silver Rate in Varanasi | Bank Holidays in Varanasi | Public Holidays in Varanasi | Varanasi AQI | Weather in Varanasi | Petrol Price in Varanasi | Diesel Price in Varanasi | CNG Price in Varanasi | LPG Price in Varanasi Stay updated with the latest Varanasi news.
Izrail said he had been feeding the four elephants when Dhanraj became agitated over the delay and entered the pond. His sudden entry into the water startled people who were bathing in the pond. Dhanraj is one of four elephants brought every year from Jiyanpur in Azamgarh to assist in the Ramnagar Ramlila. Chief mahout Izrail and other mahouts rushed to the spot after being alerted and began efforts to calm the elephant. With a large crowd gathering around the pond, the mahouts attempted to coax Dhanraj out by bringing tree branches and displaying them from a distance. Dhanraj was then fed, while the mahouts kept a close watch on his behaviour. The incident caused concern among Ramlila organisers, given Dhanraj’s important role in the annual event. For the past six years, Anant Narayan Singh of the Kashi royal family has watched the Ramlila while seated on Dhanraj. After the mahouts assured the organisers that the elephant was calm, Dhanraj was allowed to be taken to the Ramlila venue. Download the TOI App.