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Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Panna's grand 'Dadi' who endured everything but time
Vatsala, who forest officials said was over a 100 years old, died in Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday BHOPAL: She never mated, yet raised generations of calves. She survived brutal attacks, lived through blindness, and stood as a matriarch in the forests of Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh for over three decades. But when Vatsala died this week, the gentle elephant did so just short of global recognition - because of one missing document. On Tuesday, Vatsala collapsed into a pit near Hinauta Elephant Camp and could not rise. Her body finally gave way. Forest officials said she was more than 100 years old - a contender for Guinness Book of World Records - but could not secure the title. "Without official records from her early life or veterinary documentation from the time of her capture, we couldn't meet the strict criteria set by Guinness. We were so close," said a senior officer. Vatsala was brought from Kerala to MP's Narmadapuram in 1971, already around 50. She understood only Malayalam then, silent before the Hindi- and Gondi-speaking mahouts of MP. But she eventually bonded with Maniram Gond, the mahout assigned to her in 1994, when both were transferred to Panna. "When I first called her, she didn't even blink," said Maniram. "We were strangers - two beings from different worlds." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 月 *만원대 '실비보험' 최적가 가입추천! "月 보험료 낮추고, 보장은 든든하게"... 굿리치 [등록번호:제2006038313호] 가입하기 Undo But over 30 years together, they formed a bond beyond language. "She began to understand my tone, my touch. Even without words, we figured each other out." Known across the reserve for her calm temperament, Vatsala allowed schoolchildren to play beneath her belly. "She was like a grandmother," said Maniram. Though she never bore calves, she mothered many. Called 'Dadi' by staff, she nurtured young elephants, guiding and protecting them while keeping a deliberate distance from males. That refusal triggered one of the darkest moments in her life. In 2003 and again in 2008, a male named Rambhahdur attacked her when she resisted his mating attempts. "He tore her stomach open. Her intestines were out. It took nine months to treat her," Maniram said. Vatsala never retaliated. By 2004, her eyesight had deteriorated completely. She was retired from patrol duty and placed under Maniram's full-time care. "Even fully blind, she'd raise her trunk when I called her name," he said. Officials had sent tusk samples to labs to verify her age through scientific analysis. "There's no forensic system available to determine exact age," said APCCF (Wildlife) L Krishnamurthy, "but she would be remembered forever."
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
The elephant who never mated, yet became a mother to many
Bhopal: She came from the southern jungles, responding only to a language no one in this state spoke, and stood silent before the local mahouts — including Maniram, the man who would spend nearly 30 years by her side. "When I first called her, she didn't even blink," says Maniram Gond, the mahout who would eventually become her shadow. "Initially she used to only understand the south Indian language (Malayalam). I spoke Hindi and Gondi. We were strangers — two beings from different worlds." But somehow, without words, they built something stronger than language. Vatsala — the gentle giant who once hauled timber in Kerala's forests and later patrolled the tiger lands of Madhya Pradesh — lived to be over 100. She witnessed generations of elephants come and go, survived brutal injuries, lost her sight, and yet always responded to one voice: Maniram's. This week, she fell for the last time, leaving behind more than just silence in the Panna Tiger Reserve. To the man who called her his first and last elephant, it felt like losing a part of himself. Vatsala was brought to Narmadapuram from Kerala in 1971. She was already around 50 years old and had spent years working with handlers in the south, apparently responding only to Malayalam commands. In 1993, she was moved to Panna Tiger Reserve. A year later, Maniram was transferred from Narmadapuram and was assigned to her. "At first, it was frustrating. She wouldn't respond to anything. But elephants are like people — they can feel intentions. Slowly, she began to understand my tone, my touch. Even without a common language, we figured each other out." Back then, Maniram earned just two rupees a day. Now in his 50s and earning Rs 24,000 a month, he still says Vatsala was the best part of his job. Vatsala was known in the reserve for her gentle nature. "She never gave me trouble — not once in all those years," Maniram says. Then, chuckling, he adds, "Except that one time. She ran away with the howdah strapped to her back. Took us a whole week to bring her back. That's the only mischief I remember." Her calmness was legendary. Schoolchildren visiting the park would run around her, even play beneath her belly. "She never got angry. Never moved. She was like a grandmother." Indeed, while Vatsala never mated, she took on the role of caretaker for young elephants in the reserve. Many called her 'Dadi' as well. "She looked after all the calves. She'd guide them, protect them. But she always stayed away from male elephants. Always." That refusal to mate led to one of the most traumatic chapters in her life. In 2003 and again in 2008, a male elephant named Rambhahdur violently attacked her. "He wanted to mate, and she wouldn't let him," Maniram says. "He became aggressive and attacked her. In one of the attacks, her stomach was torn open. Her intestines came out. It took nine months of treatment to save her." Despite the pain, Vatsala healed — and never once turned aggressive in return. By 2004, her eyesight had faded severely. The forest department officially retired her from active patrol duty, recognizing her age and growing frailty. From that point on, Maniram was assigned solely to care for her. "She couldn't see, but she always knew when I was near. Even in her last years, when she was fully blind, she'd lift her trunk the moment I called her name." Now, with Vatsala gone, Maniram feels adrift. "I don't know what I'll do next. For the last three decades, she was my only responsibility." Though proud of his work, he's firm about one thing. "I won't let my son take this job. It's dangerous. Rambhahdur — the same elephant who attacked Vatsala — killed a mahout and a ranger. This work takes everything — your time, your strength, your heart." Still, he knows he was part of something rare. "She was my first elephant," he says. "And my last. No one else will be like her." Though her name may never appear in any record book, Vatsala's story — one of resilience, quiet grace, and an unlikely friendship that transcended language — will be remembered for generations in the forests of Panna. On Tuesday, Vatsala fell into a pit near the Hinauta Elephant Camp and could not get up. Her body, which had carried strength and survival for more than a century, had finally given in to time. "She fought many battles in life, but this time, her body just gave up," said a senior officer who had been part of her care team. Vatsala's remarkable age had drawn the attention of officials who wanted her recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the oldest living elephants in the world. Samples of her tusks were even sent to labs in a bid to verify her age through scientific analysis. Documentation was nearly complete. "Without official records from her early life or veterinary documentation from the time of her capture, we couldn't meet the strict criteria set by Guinness. We were so close, but we just didn't have that one paper," said an officer. Despite that, Vatsala remained a living legend in the eyes of the people who knew her. She spent over 30 years in Panna, not only surviving near-fatal injuries but serving as a silent sentinel of the forest — dignified, strong, and wise. When contacted APCCF (Wildlife) L Krishnamurthy said that there was no forensic system available to find out the exact age of the elephant. "She would be remembered forever," said the officer. R Sreenivasa Murthy, a 1987 batch IFS officer and former field director of the Panna National Park also remembered Vatsala as a calm elephant. "Elephants are social animals and they follow matriarchal" he said.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Panchkula: UP man caught with 2.6-kg opium
The crime branch of the Panchkula police on Sunday apprehended a 29-year-old man and seized 2.613-kg opium from his possession, officials said. Identified as Maniram from Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, the accused was actively involved in drug trafficking across the tricity, sourcing the contraband from UP, the police mentioned. Officials had a tip-off that Maniram would arrive to supply opium so a police team laid a trap near Polytechnic College in Sector-26 and arrested him. A case was registered against him under Section 18 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Chandimandir police station. On Monday, he was produced before a court that sent him to four-day police custody. Officials said they would question him to ascertain where he brought the drug from besides the individuals involved in its distribution in the tricity area.
