• Villagers in Odisha’s Keonjhar area were surprised to see 24 elephants sleeping after drinking fermented wine.
• The people living near Shilipada cashew forest went into the forest to prepare ‘mahua,’ a country whiskey.
• The 24 intoxicated jumbos were sleeping beside enormous pots of fermenting mahua blossoms.

Villagers in Odisha’s Keonjhar area were surprised to see 24 elephants sleeping after drinking fermented wine. The people living near Shilipada cashew forest went into the forest to prepare ‘mahua,’ a country whiskey, but found the elephants had already consumed the intoxicating flower-fermented water and were fast asleep.

The 24 intoxicated jumbos were sleeping beside enormous pots of fermenting mahua blossoms. 9 tuskers, 6 females, 9 calves.

HOW DID VILLAGERS RESPOND?

“We went into the jungle at around 6 am to prepare mahua and found that all the pots were broken and the fermented water is missing. We also found that the elephants were sleeping. They consumed the fermented water and got drunk,” Naria Sethi, a villager, said.

“That liquor was unprocessed. We tried to wake up the animals but failed. The forest department was then informed,” he said.

HOW DID JUMBOS AWAKEN?

Forest department workers had to beat drums to rouse up the herd in the Patana bush. Ranger Ghasiram Patra said the elephants went far into the forest.

The herd left at 10 a.m., said, Sethi.

The forest official isn’t sure if the elephants drank fermented mahua. Patra: “Maybe, they were just resting there.”

Villagers said they saw inebriated elephants around the smashed pots on Tuesday.

Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) blossoms are brewed into an alcoholic drink. Indian tribal men and women create this beverage.

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