Manjarājpatna

Today, we woke up early to drive to Dubare Elephant Park - about an hour and a hour west of Mysore. We needed to get there early enough to be able to participate in a big event: the bathing of the elephants.

They have about a dozen elephants there, which they keep to both train and rehab. And you can help wash and feed them! When we arrived, we took a boat to this small island in the middle of the Kauvery River where all the elephants live - and there they were, lounging in the water. Elephants!

We waded in, splashed them and pet them. Elephants are remarkably bristly, and have leathery skin unlike anything else. They seemed to enjoy the attention and the splashing. Of course we took a bunch of pictures with them in the water. There was even a baby elephant hanging out and spraying people on the observation decks.

When we finally got out, we walked over to the feeding stations where all the elephants were lined up waiting for food. We happily obliged with bundles of corn kernels wrapped in hay, and got more pictures there too.

Was very, very cool to be so up close and personal with such majestic beasts.Read more