The Ongoing Debate at Chitwan’s Elephant Fest

The annual Elephant Festival in Sauraha, Chitwan, has long been a centerpiece of Nepal’s tourism calendar. While organizers champion the event as a vital boost for the local economy, it continues to face intense scrutiny from animal rights activists who label the spectacles a display of institutionalized cruelty.

As the 19th edition of the festival—scheduled for December 26 to 28, 2025—approaches, the debate over the ethical treatment of the region’s captive elephants has once again taken center stage.

From Racing to Reform

The festival’s history is rooted in high-energy competitions. In its early years, the “International Elephant Race” featured activities like 150-meter sprints, elephant football, polo, and cart races.

“Since 2013, we have campaigned against these games because they inflict immense physical and mental trauma,” says Surjan Shrestha, an animal rights activist. “Forcing a five-ton animal to sprint or play football requires ‘breaking’ their spirit through violence. We’ve seen mahouts using bullhooks and sticks to jab sensitive areas behind the ears to ensure performance.”

The pressure has worked. Over the last decade, international outcry and campaigns by groups like PETA have forced organizers to scale back. Major sponsors have withdrawn support, and the festival has been shortened from five days to three. In 2024, the government-owned elephants from Chitwan National Park were withdrawn from the football matches, forcing the event to pivot to a “penalty shootout” format to reduce physical strain.

Persistent Concerns

Despite these changes, activists remain skeptical. This year’s lineup includes a beauty pageant, an “elephant picnic,” and the controversial penalty shootout.

“The penalty shootout still requires elephants to perform unnatural movements under pressure,” Shrestha explains. “Even the picnic is problematic. Elephants are forced to stand still in front of food for hours while guests give long speeches. If they get restless or try to eat early, they are punished by their mahouts.”

Activists also raised concerns about the beauty pageant, where elephants are often decorated with chemical-based powders and chalk that can irritate their skin. Reports have also surfaced that “Elephant Polo”—a game previously retired due to cruelty concerns—may see a return this year, a move activists call a “massive step backward.”

The Organizers’ Defense

However, the United Elephant Operation Cooperative, which helps organize the event alongside the Regional Hotel Association, maintains that the festival has become “elephant-friendly.”

“We have moved away from the era of cruelty,” says Dipendra Khatiwada, Chairman of the Cooperative. “There is no more running. The beauty contest now uses natural decorations, and the food provided at the picnic is vet-certified and pesticide-free.”

Khatiwada argues that the mahouts now use only thin sticks—”the kind a child might play with”—rather than bullhooks. He insists that the festival is transparent, held in open grounds where the public, media, and international observers can monitor the treatment of the animals 24 hours a day.

The Economic Stake

For the local community, the stakes are high. Hotel and restaurant owners in Sauraha report a 25 to 30 percent spike in tourist arrivals during the festival. For a region still recovering from the economic shocks of recent years, the festival is seen as an essential lifeline.

“It’s about balance,” says one local hotelier. “We love our elephants; they are the reason tourists come here. We want the festival to continue, but we understand it must evolve.”

As Poush 11 (December 26) nears, the Sauraha Elephant Festival remains a symbol of the broader conflict in modern tourism: the struggle to preserve traditional attractions while meeting global standards of animal welfare.