Reliving the past glory of wild elephant capturing at Kabini, Mysuru.

   The capturing of elephant in pens or stockades is a known as Khedda and is the most widely known method. The word Khedda is derived from the Hindi word khedna which in turn is derived form the Sanskrit 'Khet' which means to drive. In this method wild Elephants were literally driven into a pen or stockade. 

   The first person to try and capture Elephants in this way was Hyder Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan, in the seventeenth century. He was unsuccessful and no further attempts were made. The British were the first to try again and an attempt by Col. Pearson, a British Army officer in 1867 also resulted in failure. The next to try was another British officer, this time from the Canal or Irrigation Department, named, G.P.Sanderson. He had no previous experience in capturing elephants. He was however interested and knowledgeable in the habits of wild Elephant. After repeated representations which were supported by his superiors, the Mysore Government in 1873 undertook to capture wild elephants and he was put in charge. He was successful in his second attempt in 1874 at a place called Kardihalli. In 1875 he was put in charge of the Elephant Catching establishment at Dhaka for a period nine months. On his return from Dhaka he perfected the khedda system in Mysore. He is said to have taken experienced elephant men from Dhaka who formed the main stay of the operation. In time the Kuruba tribals and others learnt the art of elephant driving. 

   The Mysore Khedda especially the Kakanakote Kheddas were very

different from the Assam Khedda. The Mysore Kheddas were large undertakings which required a large number of men and koonkis. Wild Elephant herds had to be brought in from long distances and were moved in stages and held when necessary in position until the exact time when they would be driven into the stockade in full view of distinguished guests, the Maharaja of Mysore. This involved months of planning and preparation and large contingents of men and koonkis, as many as forty koonkis and a thousand men would be used. The size of the stockade would extend over five acres. It was a very expensive operation. The unique feature of a Kakankote khedda was the river drive which was first designed and carried out by G.P. Sanderson in honour of The Grand Duke of Russia during his visit to Mysore in 1891. In the river drive the elephants were driven across the Kabini river into the stockade and this. proved to be a popular spectacle with special visitors' gallery being set up to allow people to witness the grand finale of a Kakankote khedda.