The elephants, which undergo rigorous training on a daily basis, are fed four times a day. They are given protein rich food between 6 am and 6.30 am; again at 10.30 am after the rehearsals; at 4 pm and once again at 6 pm. There is a separate kitchen to prepare food for the elephants which is supervised by ‘Nail Man’ Rangaraju. Firstly, the vegetables are chopped and mixed with boiled green gram, black gram, chopped onions, wheat and boiled rice. To this is added butter to be fed for the male elephants and the female elephants are fed without butter. This apart, the elephants are fed a mixture of coconut, sugarcane, jaggery, paddy, fodder (coarse food) and salt rolled in hay to provide them extra energy. The elephants also drink 250 to 300 litres of water on a daily basis. They are given water once after early morning food, once in the afternoon and before them going for evening rehearsals. Just a day before the grand procession, the Forest Department keeps the stock of food (a mixture of coconut, sugarcane, jaggery, paddy, fodder and salt rolled in green grass) at five different points along the procession route.
