Raha: Bhelaghor depicting human-elephant conflict attracts large number of people
AT Photo
Raha, Jan 11: In an effort to raise awareness on human-elephant conflict, people from Raha has come up with a unique idea by constructing a bhelaghor, depicting human elephant coexistence.
Shrinking wildlife habitats and vanishing animal corridors have led to human-elephant conflicts in the state. As a result of humans entering elephant settlements, there has been a constant tussle between man and animal. The fight to protect agriculture fields and habitation by humans often proves fatal as every year both humans and elephants have to lose their life.
Keeping in view the growing concern of men-animal tussle, a Bihu bhelaghar in Raha has become a centre of attraction for a large number of people. The bhelaghar depicts two wild elephants and a man planting banana trees for the pachyderms at Amanishali near Raha. Apart from residents of neighbouring areas, people travelling through the highway connecting Nagaon and Guwahati have thronged the area to have a glimpse of the bhelaghar.
Built at a cost of nearly Rs 1 lakh, the bhelaghar is made of thatch, bamboo, straws, and dried leaves of betel nut. Bhagwan Senapati who constructed the bhelaghar while speaking to The Assam Tribune said that it is a burning issue which needs to be solved in a constructive way, “The wild elephants come to human habitats mainly in search of food. If we could provide them food in their place, then they would not come to our habitation. In this Bhelaghor, I have tried to portray that humans should plant banana trees in elephant habitats so that they do not visit human settlements thereby reducing the man elephant encounters," said Senapati.
Although the bhelaghar is a temporary night shelter for the community feast on Uruka night, but this great art work has drawn everybody’s attraction as it projects an exceptional design and theme.