Prior to the beginning of the tournament, a cultural rally was taken out with procession. The rally visited Sauraha, which has been decorated to mark the festival.
Constituent Assembly Vice-chair Purna Kumari Subedi inaugurated the three-day tournament amid a function in the playground of Baghmara Community Forest.
A total of 21 groups -- 10 foreign and 11 domestic -- are taking part in the tournament, said coordinator of the festival´s main organizing committee Shankar Sainju. Similarly, a boat race, bullock cart race, and football among the elephants will also be organized at the same function, said Hari Bhakta Ghimire, chairman of the Regional Hotel Association, Chitwan, organizer of the tournament.
The total cost of the tournament is estimated to stand at over Rs 1.8 million. Bachchhyauli VDC, Baghmara and Chitrasen Madhyawarti Community Forests and Sauraha Tourism Entrepreneurs´ Group are the co-sponsors of the tournament. It is said each group has to pay Rs 20,000 to take part in the competition.
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