Posted on January, 04 2007

Chitwan, Nepal – Sixteen young elephants at different elephant breeding centers in Chitwan await to be named as an age old tradition to name them after royal family members gets shunned. The breeding centers have been unable to decide whether to continue with the tradition which has led to the calves born in the past year remaining officially unnamed. During the Rana regime, the elephants used to get names from the Rana rulers and after its collapse, the tradition continued into the Shah regime. According to this tradition, the male calves are given names of royal family members with the suffix “Gaj” while the females are given the suffix “Kali”.

Previously, as soon as a calf was born at any of the breeding centers, the birth would be reported to the Chitwan National Park head office in Kasara and from there to the line ministries. Thereafter, the information used to be sent to the Royal Palace which would recommend a suitable name to the newly born calf. While the information is still being passed on to the concerned ministries, the nomenclature hasn’t moved ahead. Apart from the 16 newly born calves, at least 9 more calves are expected soon with several other elephants pregnant. The halt in nomenclature has also impeded the appointment of caretakers of the newborn elephants. Usually, three workers are recruited for proper care of each calf after he/she is officially named.