No elephant for Lord Jagannath this year

BHUBANESWAR: This Rathayatra Lord Jagannath will have no elephant, breaking an age-old tradition. As per the rituals, three elephants are required to pull the three chariots. Since it proved expensive only one elephant was being used for the ceremonial purpose of the famous festival at Puri. But this year the sole elephant is also not available.
The temple administration had written to the Nandankanan zoo authorities, requesting for an elephant. But the zoo expressed its inability, as it did not have any trained elephant.
Since lakhs of people throng Puri on the car festival, elephants need to be trained to behave in the crowd. The lone-trained elephant with the zoo, died a year back.
The administration is desperately looking for an elephant to keep alive the tradition.
There was a proposal to procure an elephant from Uttar Pradesh, but since Ratha Jatra is just a week away there is no time for that. Last year a UP elephant had done the job.