From the trauma of being captured from the wild (as his mama lay dying) to the years he spent suffering in the Islamabad zoo, our elephant Kaavan endured a life of both physical and emotional pain. Kaavan’s rescue & release to a sanctuary was the greatest gift humans could give to this elephant. It was the least they could do for what they did to him.
song
“Kahani Meri is a song of my pain
God’s tears will fall down like rain
He must wonder in his wisdom
Who did I give thee my kingdom
Kahani Meri is a song of my pain
God’s tears will fall down like rain
Kahani Meri…
You took me away from my mother
You made me cry for her – forever
I cry out for sleep to forget why I suffer
You captured and chained me, gave me pain
Who taught you to be cruel and be so vain?
Kahani Meri is a song of my pain
God’s tears will fall down like rain
Kahani Meri…
No one saw when Kaavan was crying
No one cared when she was dying
Where were the Pundits, Mullas and all
The ones who give sermons – where did they go?
To fight for truth – where did warriors go?
But someone heard sighs of my pain
Love came through to end this shame
Locks on hearts opened to release my chain
I was your prisoner
Now who will I be?
I am free!
Azhar Hameed: Lyricist, Composer, Singer”
“Kaavan, was born in Sri Lanka in 1985 and, at the age of one, gifted to Pakistan.
He spent most of his life chained at the Islamabad Zoo.
In 1990 Saheli, a female, was introduced to Kaavan.
She remained his companion for 22 years until her death in 2011.
In 2015, pictures of Kaavan, chained and alone, went viral. American pop singer Cher initiated the global #FreeKaavan campaign.
In May 2020, the Islamabad High Court handed down the verdict that Kaavan should be freed.
The organizations Four Paws (1) and Free the Wild (2) started Kaavan’s rehabilitation training.
In November 2020, a custom crate was built and a special plane chartered to transport Kaavan to a sanctuary in Cambodia.”
Thank you Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary (3) for offering a home to our elephant Kaavan
To be continued: A Zoo Elephant’s Road to Freedom, A Look Back, Part 2: Ele Facts; Kaavan & Saheli, At Least They Had Each Other For a Little While
Transcribed from & Images from: the Creative Commons Video ‘Kahani Meri – The Story of Kaavan – Based on a True Story’ by Kamran Ali (4) & by CC Wikimedia Kaavan the elephant Islamabad Zoo Pakistan (5)
(1) https://www.four-paws.org/ https://www.four-paws.us
(2) https://www.freethewild.org/
(3) https://www.cambodiawildlifesanctuary.com/
(4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU5vGAdgcRM
(5) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ELEPHANT_IN_ISLAMABAD_ZOO.jpg
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P.S. About the Category AbZOOlutely Not** or The Controversy of Zoos & Others Keeping Elephants in Captivity (**A disclaimer about this category …elephants in captivity). While there are some Zoos & others that demonstrate exemplary methods of elephant care, unfortunately, they do not represent the “lion’s share”. ) And this category does not include the elephant sanctuary, true/reputable elephant sanctuaries, of course.
