Chitwan Elephant Festival (Elephant Picnic)

The Chitwan Elephant Festival & International Elephant Marathon Championship kicked off in Sauraha of Chitwan on Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha inaugurated the three-day festival by lighting a lamp.

The event is featuring, elephant race, young elephant football, elephant beauty contest, bull-cart race, horse-cart race and other cultural shows. All together twenty-four elephants are taking part in the race, 8 elephants in the football match, and 5 elephants in the beauty contest."Due to lack of fund we haven't been able to advertise internationally," Xinhua quoted Gyanendra Bista, festival co-ordinator, as saying adding "The response has been positive." Kashiraj Bhandari, director at Nepal Tourism Board told Xinhua that the festival has been successful in creating positive awareness about tourism and within the communities.  Deepak Adhikari, 42, a local, said that the festival has helped to boost tourism and also helped Chitwan to be highlighted in the international media.