A female elephant named Rupavathi from Shri Shaila Mutt in Karnataka will be part of the traditional Moharram procession in Hyderabad. The elephant arrived in the city on Sunday and underwent a medical examination to ensure its readiness for the procession. The Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad will provide a veterinary officer to accompany the elephant during the festivities.
Initially, there were some issues with the transportation of the elephant from Karnataka to Telangana, but the permit was eventually renewed. The AIMIM MLC Mirza Riyaz-ul-Hassan Effendi expressed relief that the elephant made it to the city despite efforts to stop its participation in the festival.
Shia community leaders emphasized the importance of animals in processions like Moharram and Bonalu, urging the government to provide a dedicated elephant for such traditional events. They suggested training the existing elephants in the state zoo to avoid any inconvenience during these significant festivals.
The elephant Rupavathi will also take part in the Bonalu procession at Sri Nalla Pochamma Temple and Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple. Previously, elephants from Karnataka were used for these processions, but efforts are being made to have a dedicated elephant for future events.
Minister Konda Surekha facilitated the temporary relocation of Rupavathi for the Moharram and Bonalu processions after discussions with Karnataka officials. This move ensures that the traditional festivities in Hyderabad will have a special participant this year.
