Carries 600 kg weight on the first day today

Mysuru: Weight training for Golden Howdah carrier Dasara elephant Captain Abhimanyu began with carrying of 600 kg weight on the Jumboo Savari route from today. He covered the distance from Mysore Palace to the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantap in just one hour and twenty minutes.

Abhimanyu, along with Kumki elephants Varalakshmi and Lakshmi were led to Kodi Someshwara Temple in the Palace premises, where priest S.V. Prahllad Rao performed puja and offered fruits to them.

Later, Gaadhi-Namdha and the cradle were secured onto Abhimanyu’s back using leather strips and ropes, along with a metal cradle on the top of it. A total of 300-kg sandbags were placed inside the cradle mounted on Abhimanyu thus taking the total weight to 600 kgs.

Excepting Kanjan, which was put to rest, all the eight other elephants including Dhananjaya, Gopi, Bheema, Rohit and Ekalavya were then led out of the North Gate of Mysore Palace and they passed via K.R. Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road, Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle, Bamboo Bazaar Road, Highway Circle and Nelson Mandela Road to reach the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantap. For four times, the elephants were given rest for two minutes, before they reached their destination.

Upon reaching the Torchlight Parade Grounds, the weight on Abhimanyu was removed and all the eight elephants were provided with water and fodder. Breakfast was also provided to the Mahouts and Kavadis accompanying the eight elephants.

DCF Dr. I.B. Prabhugowda said, “Today was the first day of weight training to Abhimanyu and he carried the weight successfully to the Torchlight Parade Grounds by covering the distance in one hour and twenty minutes. All the eight elephants successfully took part in the training today and weight will be increased in phases so that Abhimanyu will be able to carry 750 kg Golden Howdah with ease on Jumboo Savari day. After the second batch of five elephants arrive, full fledge training will be given.”

DCF Dr. Prabhugowda, Palace ACP Chandrashekar, RFO Santosh Hugar, Veterinarian Dr. Mujeeb, Mysore Circle Conservator of Forests (CF) Office Superintendent Sudeep, Rangaraju, Akram and others were present.