• Veteran Arjuna still mightiest at 5,950 kg
• Howdah elephant Abhimanyu needs 950 kgs more to match Arjuna

Mysore/Mysuru: The weight checking for all 14 Dasara elephants was held at Sairam and Co., 40 tonnes Electronic Weighing Services on Dhanvantri Road here this morning.

While it is the second weight check for the nine Dasara elephants, which arrived in the first batch on Aug. 7 and their weight checked on Aug. 11, the second batch of five elephants, which arrived on Sept. 7, underwent weight checking today.

Arjuna, the 63-year-old senior Dasara elephant, who weighed 5,775 kg on Aug. 11, weighed 5,950 kg today. He has gained 175 kgs in 29 days and remains the mightiest. He is followed by 39-year-old Gopalaswamy with 5,460 kg (5,140 kg on Aug. 11), thus gaining 320 kg more weight. Howdah elephant 57-year-old Abhimanyu stands third with 5,000 kg (4,770 kg earlier), an increase of 230 kg. Abhimanyu has to gain 950 kg more to match Arjuna.

The weights of other first batch Dasara elephants are: 22-year-old Bheema- 4,345 kg (3,920 kg), an increase of 425 kg; 39-year-old Mahendra – 4,450 kg (4,250 kg), an increase of 200 kg; 44-year-old Dhananjaya – 4,890 kg (4,810 kg), an increase of 80 kg; 45-year-old Kaveri – 3,245 kg (3,105 kg), an increase of 140 kg; 49-year-old Chaitra – 3,235 kg (3,050 kg), an increase of 185 kg and 21-year-old Lakshmi – 3,150 kg (2,920 kg), an increase of 230 kg.

The weights of second batch of five elephants are: 40-year-old Srirama – 4,475 kg, 18-year-old Parthasarathy – 3,445 kg, 41-year-old Gopi – 4,670 kg, 40-year-old Sugreeva – 4,785 kg and 63-year-old Vijaya weighed 2,760 kg.

Bheema, housed in Mathigodu Elephant Camp, was seriously injured when a wild elephant had attacked him in 2018. He was unable to digest the food properly despite recovering from the injuries. But now, he is the one who had gained more weight (425 kg). This shows that he is healthy and has a good digestion power now as he is capable of digesting the special diet given to him.

Earlier, all the 14 Dasara elephants were brought out from Balarama Gate and they marched via Chamaraja Circle, K.R. Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road and Dhanvantri Road to reach the weighing bridge. On completion of weight checking, the elephants passed through J.K. Grounds, Irwin Road, Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road, K.R. Circle, Chamaraja Circle and entered the Palace through the Balarama Gate.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. V. Karikalan, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Santosh Hugar, Veterinarian Dr. Mujeeb, elephant caretakers Rangaraju and Akram and others were present.