Bengaluru:The first batch of 9 tamed elephants assembled at Veeranahosahalli Gate, the entrance of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district for Mysuru city to participate in Mysore Dasara festivities, celebrated as Nada Habba (State fest) in October. The Mysore Dasara festivities will start on October 3.
The elephants were sent to Mysuru city through “Gajapayana” (elephant journey” by conducting rituals by priests in presence of Minister for Forests and Environment Eshwar Khandre, Minister for Social Welfare Dr H.C. Mahadevappa among others.
The selected tamed elephants drawn from various elephant camps of the State and the decrorated elephants are major attraction on jumbo savaari (elephant procession) day, the finale of the Dasara festivities. Elephant take pout a procession from Mysore Palace premises to Bannimantap, covering a distance of about 5-km in the jumbo savaari.
Among the 9 tamed elephants in the first batch are Abhimanyu, Varalakshmi, Dhananjaya, Gopi, Bheema, Lakshmi, Kanjan, Rohit and Ekalavya. The elephants are selected to participate in Dasara festivities owing to their temperament, previous Dasara participation, health factors among others.
Initially, elephants stay at Aranya Bhavan in Mysuru city for a couple of days before they enter Mysore Palace premises where arrangements have been made for their stay by setting-up temporary sheds of elephants and their care taker families.
At a function at Veeranahosahalli Gate, Minister for Forests and Environment Eshwar Khandre announced experienced elephant Abhimanyu (58) will carry ther golden howdah weighing 750-kg in the jumbo savaari, the major crowd puller on the finale of the Dasara festivities.
Khandre said he directed veterinarians to take good care of tamed elephants health and also officials concerned to make Dasara a grand success this year.
