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Nov 8th, 2006, 10:05
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#1 |
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Camel Master
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: California
Posts: 197
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Dancing with camels
I’m back from my 30 day trip to India where I went in search of how they train and work with their camels. I was most interested in the dancing camels of Rajasthan where I had seen one perform at a wedding in the town of Bikaner last year.
This year I explored small villages where I could see camels pulling plows as seeds were being planted in the desert sands, and I was lucky enough to visit a remote village as Raikas from allover rode in on their camels for the Diwali festival. I got to see them do things like tricks while riding the camels, branding camels with a hot iron, feeding them salt, milking camels, and yes I had a large glass of hot camel’s milk. One of the men who trains camels to dance lived in a far off village and it got a little costly going out to learn from him. There were also other problems trying to learn from him such as his last five camels had died and he had to get one from a village 3 days away, also my translator was not that good and this made things very tough. This camel trainer learned more from me than I learned from him! In Pushkar is where things went smooth and I learned what I wanted to about training camels to dance among other types of training. Here are a few photos of a camel I danced with! http://camelphotos.com/india/dance_camel.jpg http://camelphotos.com/india/dance_camel2.jpg http://camelphotos.com/india/dance_camel3.jpg Last edited by Cameleer : Nov 8th, 2006 at 17:34. |
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Nov 8th, 2006, 10:28
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#2 |
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member in the forest
Join Date: May 2003
Location: California
Posts: 903
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Hey, California Camel Man......
WoW! Loved your pics! You got some of those BIG prehistoric looking ones! I have only seen the sad, zoo variety in the US: didn't know there were so many different types.
So what is your story...whats the passion for camels? Got to say...I love Bikaner. I never gave a hoot about camels until I got there...they are absolutely fascinating animals. So many different kinds, and so many different ways they work.. |
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Nov 8th, 2006, 11:46
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#3 |
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Super Mode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chandigarh - Blore NON-STOP
Posts: 708
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This variety of topics does keep IM fresh n xciting.The first pic is just awsome.nice one
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"Your thoughts could be your prison" My pics on flickr Kerela backwaters - by beach |
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Nov 8th, 2006, 17:35
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#4 |
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Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 26,862
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It took a second look before I realised that beast has its hoof on your shoulder!
Brilliant 
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.  Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team 
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Nov 8th, 2006, 18:13
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#5 |
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Uru Buru member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 1,536
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fantastic
may the next thread be the one titled:
"The Camelwhisperer" Hans
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 Tips for trips to India with (young) children: India with kids Stories about our travels in India: Journal |
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Nov 8th, 2006, 19:20
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#6 |
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a pain in the asana
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: the India inside my heart
Posts: 5,354
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those camels look beautiful, and I love the title of your thread. I hope they train them humanely....
I've read sad stories about how some circuses train elephants.... |
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Nov 8th, 2006, 20:03
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#7 |
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Camel Master
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: California
Posts: 197
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Now days circuses train the animals very humanely, but in India it’s mostly done with pain and suffering. I did not see any trainers use rewards, not even a petting on the neck or saying “good boy”
Here is a photo of a camel they took behind a sand dume and beat with sticks while pulling on the nose pegs teaching it to lay down. WARNING, THIS PHOTO IS QUITE GRAPHIC you may not want to view it.. http://camelphotos.com/india/camel_blood.jpg Now back to the fun things. I also had fun playing with Cobra snakes: http://camelphotos.com/india/cobra.jpg Riding buffalo carts around Pushkar: http://camelphotos.com/india/buffalo_cart.jpg Playing with a baby elephant near the Amber Fort: http://camelphotos.com/india/babyelephant.jpg The big elephants are also a lot of fun! http://camelphotos.com/india/myelephantride2.jpg Walking up to the Amber Fort with the elephants: http://camelphotos.com/india/elephants_amber2.jpg And squeezing between the elephants: http://camelphotos.com/india/elephants_amber.jpg Actually I kept very alert and careful doing these things, I work a lot with large animals and would not recommend just anyone trying to do these things! |
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Nov 8th, 2006, 22:08
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#8 |
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bang a whore? Bangalore Dammit!
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,878
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Smashing!
& thanks for the warning to others. People watch waaay too much Nat Geo and think all wild animals are cute and pettable. & when it bites their hand off, they scream murder and want to put it down. Last I heard, some idiot was trying to hand feed and pet bison in one of the national Parks in the USA. these critters are cute but are bloody *wild* animals, why people let their guard down beats me. Me, I give 1 day old bunnies, a wide berth.
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