Forest Department gives green signal to include two additional elephants in the list of 12 

Mysuru: With just 36 days left for the commencement of Dasara festivities and 45 days left for Jumboo Savari, the grand finale of the 10-day festivities, Gajapayana, the march of Dasara elephants from Veeranahosahalli Gate in Hunsur taluk to Mysuru will be held on Aug. 22 at 10.30 am.

The decision on Gajapayana date was taken at the Dasara High-Level Meeting chaired by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Aug. 14.

Prior to the commencement of Gajapayana, a traditional puja will be performed to the elephants by the District Administration and then the elephants would be brought to Mysuru. The puja will be performed by Priest S.V. Prahallad Rao, who has been instructed to make the necessary preparations.

The first batch of six elephants will arrive in city on Aug. 22 and the remaining elephants will arrive in the first week of September. Though approval is given to bring 14 elephants to city, it is yet to be decided whether 12 elephants or 14 elephants would be brought and a decision in this regard will be taken in a day or two.

Details of elephants: The following are the elephants which would be taking part in this year’s Dasara.

59-year-old Arjuna from Balle Elephant Camp, Balarama-61, Abhimanyu-53 and Varalakshmi-63 from Mathigodu Elephant Camp, Cauvery-41, Vijaya-62, Vikram-46, Gopi-37, Dhananjay-36 and Eshwara-49 from Dubare Elephant Camp, Durgaparameshwari-52 from K. Gudi Elephant Camp and Jayaprakash-57 from Rampura Camp in Bandipur are the 12 elephants in the list. Lakshmi-17 and Rohit-19 from Rampura Camp in Bandipur are the other two elephants which have been identified.

New elephants: Eshwara and Jayaprakash will be taking part for the first time in the Jumboo Savari. Eshwara is soft natured, healthy and well built too.

Jayaprakash, fondly called as ‘JP’ was being used for a few days for the elephant safari. Lakshmi and Rohit are first timers too. Out of the 14 elephants, nine are males and five are female elephants. 

61-year-old Balarama is considered to be the senior among male elephants and 19-year-old Rohit is the youngest. 63-year-old Varalakshmi is the senior-most among female elephants and 17-year-old Lakshmi is the youngest, said DCF (Wildlife) Alexander.

Veterinarian Dr. D.N. Nagaraju said that the elephants would be given nutritional supplements from the day they arrive to city and would be trained for the  Jumboo Savari.