Kumki training for elephants gives lessons in discipline

As many people were chased and killed by the elephants in past few months, the government wanted to create some captive elephants trained in `kumki` art — so that they can shepherd the straying wild elephants back to the jungle.

The experts from Assam began imparting `kumki` training in three different places. The training which was initially scheduled to run for six months and has now been extended to another six months.

`Kumki` just does not help the elephants control the unruly wild counterparts — it does instill self-discipline in them and make them more playful.

`Kumki` produced surprising results to the hyperactive elephants as they became less wild and were easily controlled by the mahuts.

The elephants currently under `Kumki` training are — Shankar and Yosada from Tikarapada, Mahendra and Sobha from Berhampur or Nandan from Chandaka Elephant Reserve and Rajkumar from Similipal reserve. They are undergoing special ‘kumki’ training to before they are pressed into service of monitoring discipline in the wild ones.