Mammoth triumph for female mahout

CHITWAN, Nepal — On a warm winter afternoon, cheers and applause rang out as eight elephants lumbered onto an area of ground in the village of Sauraha.

It was a spectacular sight for locals and overseas visitors as the world’s largest land animals got set to play football as part of the 14th Chitwan Elephant Festival being in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park.

The crowd’s attention quickly focused on a figure in a red sweater, gray trousers and wearing a white scarf.

The local celebrity’s name is Gita Danuwar, and she was the only female competitor in the tournament.

“Work is equal, whether it is done by a male or a female. I feel happy and proud to be a female mahout,” the 34-yearold said after the match.

For Gita, it was not easy to enter the profession, which is dominated by men and often thought to be representative of physical strength and a fearless attitude.

Gita, a mother of two, could study only until lower secondary level in a small village in the Chitwan district, but she never lost the will to do something challenging.

With the support from her husband Krishna, she became a mahout six months ago. Today, she is among the five women who work together at the elephant center, known locally as Hattisaar, under the auspices of the Chitwan National Park.

“It’s definitely not easy to deal with such giant creatures but I learned to adjust. Kasaragaj, the male elephant that I look after, is cooperative and follows my instructions well. If we love them, they will love back,” Gita said.

She wakes up every morning at 4 am, cleans the shed, visits the nearby forest for grass fodder, prepares meals for the elephants and goes on safaris or patrols.

Her daily routine is challenging but at the end of the day she cherishes the role she fought to play and feels proud that her monthly salary of 16,000 rupees (about $160) is equal to that of her male counterparts.

Gita’s husband, who is also a mahout, has mixed feelings about his wife continuing the job, which can be difficult and demands physical strength, time and effort.

He is often worried about the possibility of one of the elephants turning on her, as has happened in the past to other mahouts.

“It’s a 24-hour job with many challenges. I used to suggest she do something else, but she refused. She is happy with this work, so I am happy too,” he said.