New documentary featuring Mumbai's Anand Shinde highlights the importance of elephant conservation

A still from the active conflict captured on camera by the crew

Spotting an elephant stepping out into human settlement isn't an everyday sight. "I was told the chances of spotting one during our eight-day stay were next to none," recalls 21-year-old filmmaker Devshree Khedekar, who visited Trunk Call Wildlife Foundation's conservation efforts in rural Kolhapur led by elephant whisperer Anand Shinde, to film her new documentary late last year. The crew anticipated a quiet stay in the usually serene village. And then, it happened.

Khedekar works on a shot

An elephant swinging its trunk in a pitch-dark field lit only by the torchlights of villagers, with Shinde negotiating with the locals to step back, is one of the most striking visuals from the 18-minute documentary titled Vigraha. The fact that this daring endeavour was made as part of Khedekar's annual college project at the VG Vaze Kelkar College in Mulund, makes it even more commendable.

Anand Shinde on-field. Pics Courtesy/Trunk Call Wildlife Foundation

There are some things you can't learn by simply reading academic research papers in your cosy homes in the city, Khedekar says. "The day after the sighting, we traced the elephant's footsteps. We learnt that the heavy stomps had loosened the soil, giving earthworms the ideal terrain to thrive. It made us question if elephants are really the troublemakers we take them to be," she reveals. Shinde seems to agree. "Just one piece of elephant dung contains 17 to 7,000 species of microorganisms that act as excellent manure," he tells us, adding, "Unless posed a threat to, an elephant is a man's best friend."

Devshree Khedekar

The gripping tale is sprinkled with conversations with local residents and activists who present a well-rounded picture of wildlife-human conflicts. A local farmer's candid admission, just days after the conflict, gives the documentary a fitting conclusion: "From sowing to harvesting, we are constantly at loggerheads with pests of all kinds. An elephant is possibly the only one who means us no harm."

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