Simon de Trey - White ~ Photographer

Delhi's Last Working Elephants by Simon de Trey-White

29th August 2014, Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi, India. Female elephant Gulabo ridden by her handler leads a Sidhi Budhi Vinayaka procession through the streets as a firework goes off, near the Sree Vinayaka Mandir in New Delhi, India on the 29th August 2014 as part of the Ganesh Chaturthi religious festival

Ganesh Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the god Ganesha, the elephant-headed, remover of obstacles and the god of beginnings and wisdom.

Elephant handlers (Mahouts) eke out a living in makeshift camps on the banks of the Yamuna River in New Delhi. They survive on a small retainer paid by the elephant owners and by giving rides to passers by. The owners keep all the money from hiring the animals out for religious festivals, events and weddings, they also are involved in the illegal trade of captive elephants. The living conditions and treatment of elephants kept in cities in North India is extremely harsh, the handlers use the banned 'ankush' or bullhook to control the animals through daily beatings, the animals have no proper shelters are forced to walk on burning hot tarmac and stand for hours with their feet chained together.

PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE + 91 98103 99809
email: simon@simondetreywhite.com
Photographer in Delhi

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Image Size: 4256x2832 / 4.7MB; india new delhi makeshift bridge dust elephant festival camp yamuna river polluted animal cruelty abuse beat iron hook mahout hire out religious homage wedding ganesh god offering old poor condition tent sleep shelter ankush living conditions foul water hand pump forage welfare keep in city private ownership temple belief disappearing bullhook bull-hook cruel circus paint decorate subdue trunk dwelling isolate isolated group hot tarmac feet footpad blister chain shackle banned court supreme judgement marginal itinerant lifestyle honour revere reverence simon de trey white photographer photojournalist traffic danger collision slow exploit exploitation business wade wash bath scrub howdah event political leader welcome patronage children vanishing middle class changing sensibilities of step modernisation 21st century anachronistic bygone clash time over skyline island bank monsoon pillage strip trees feed challenge battle hard job middlemen ritual embodiment
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29th August 2014, Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi, India. Female elephant Gulabo ridden by her handler leads a Sidhi Budhi Vinayaka procession through the streets as a firework goes off, near the Sree Vinayaka Mandir in New Delhi, India on the 29th August 2014 as part of the Ganesh Chaturthi religious festival<br />
<br />
Ganesh Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the god Ganesha, the elephant-headed, remover of obstacles and the god of beginnings and wisdom.<br />
<br />
Elephant handlers (Mahouts) eke out a living in makeshift camps on the banks of the Yamuna River in New Delhi. They survive on a small retainer paid by the elephant owners and by giving rides to passers by. The owners keep all the money from hiring the animals out for religious festivals, events and weddings, they also are involved in the illegal trade of captive elephants. The living conditions and treatment of elephants kept in cities in North India is extremely harsh, the handlers use the banned 'ankush' or bullhook to control the animals through daily beatings, the animals have no proper shelters are forced to walk on burning hot tarmac and stand for hours with their feet chained together. <br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE + 91 98103 99809<br />
email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
Photographer in Delhi