The central government announced the Padma awards on Thursday and Assam’s Parvati Baruah is one of the many awardees. He will be awarded the Padma Shri for his effort to control human-elephant conflict in Assam.
Born in a royal family, Parbati Barua had chosen a life full of challenges. She is called the ‘Lady Mahavat of India’ (the one who tames and takes care of elephants). Daughter of Prakriti Chandra Barua who was the last king of Gauripur and is known for her art of taming elephants.
Also read: 34 unsung heroes of India honored with Padma Award. Who are they? here is the list
At the age of just 14, Barua had his first experience of seeing a wild elephant, for which his father congratulated him. Since then, he has mastered the art of encircling elephants and capturing them as pets. Over the years, he has been called many times to the forests, tea gardens and rural areas of West Bengal, Odisha and his native Assam to capture or care for wild elephants.
talking to news18 Parbati Barua said, “I have seen elephants since childhood. We had elephants at home, so I am very familiar with elephant behavior. We had palaces to capture wild elephants; Many people came to my house to help my father in catching elephants. I saw how elephants were tamed.”
It should be mentioned here that in the beginning, she would accompany her father to help his team while she would cook food for them in the forest.
“Gradually I started becoming interested in the work of a mahout – an elephant rider, trainer or protector. I thought there were no women involved in this work (taming/looking after elephants etc) in India; So I decided that I will learn this art.”
Being a girl from a royal family, she was hesitant at first, but later her father helped her acquire this skill. “I approached my father and asked if I could become a mahout or learn to take care of the elephant brought from the forest. He replied in the affirmative and asked me to accompany him when he went to catch a wild elephant. Later I became a member of the elephant catching team. I stayed in camps and went out at night looking for wild elephants. My father Prakritish Ch. Barua is my guru.”
Recalling his father’s words on his first day, he said, “My father said that this is a very difficult job.” It requires both concentration and energy.”
Parbati Barua further said, she has learned from the grassroots level; From making rope from jute to going to the forest with his father and then catching an elephant.
The 67-year-old woman was involved in training mahouts. In 2000 he was invited by the Government of West Bengal for a training camp for mahouts and staff in forest departments for elephant census.
Apart from the Assam Gaurav Award from the Government of Assam, he received the Global 500-Roll of Honor from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
With inputs from Bhaskarjyoti Saikia
Follow us on Google news ,Twitter , and Join Whatsapp Group of thelocalreport.in
