KODANAD: It all began with Nagaraj’s sorrow over the misery of his favourite elephant. Every day a 120- kilogram heavy iron saddle will be fastened around his favourite elephant Sunitha to carry the tourists for forest safari. Unable to bear it anymore, Nagaraj, Divisional Forest Officer, Malayatoor, decided to find a solution to the sufferings of the animal before he leaves the Malayatoor forest division. And within three months was born Ampari, a lightweight elephant saddle weighing just 40 per cent of the iron saddle.Made of cane, the frame was designed to distribute the pressure of the saddle equally around the body. “The iron saddle which is fixed on the backbone creates severe pressure on the elephant. It gives severe pain too. The elephant has to carry another 100-150 kilogram when tourists sit over it. The new frame is made of cane and weighs only 49 kilograms which is almost 60 percent less than the weight of the iron saddle. An important feature of the cane saddle is that it is made according to the shape of the elephant and the pressure of the saddle is equally spread around the body,” Nagaraj said.“We examined various horse saddles which are lightweight and cheaper. The cane is heated and bent to suit the body of the elephant. The first saddle is designed in the shape of a swan with a royal touch. Besides, the saddle is tightened using a thick flexible rubber belt” he said. “The price of the saddle is `24,000. The iron-made frame costs more than `30,000. Four persons can sit on the saddle. We will present the invention before the Forest Department and the government authorities to promote it in future,” Nagaraj added.
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