Responsibility to continue till 2027

Mysore/Mysuru: It only took 30 minutes for the eight-member team to secure the 750-kg Golden Howdah on Abhimanyu’s back in a safe manner. There have been instances where the howdah had tilted during the procession and to prevent it is a big challenge for the staff. 

At 2.10 pm yesterday, Abhimanyu was brought along with Kumki elephants Kaveri and Vijaya to the spot where the howdah would be mounted. 

At 2.45 pm, the trolley with the decorated Golden Howdah with the idol of the presiding deity was brought outside. The mounting and tying process began after the crane was fixed at 2.46 pm. 

The staff — Akram, elephant Krishna’s mahout Gunda, Varalakshmi’s kavadi Madesh, Mallikarjun, Ganesh, Radha and Idayat — who have an experience of mounting and securing the Golden Howdah for 21 years, performed their responsibility successfully in 30 minutes.

After the howdah was secured on Abhimanyu at 3.26 pm and was brought forward, Pramoda Devi paid her respect with folded hands from the window and Abhimanyu too responded by lifting his trunk and saluting.