First batch of nine caparisoned elephants accorded traditional welcome

Mysore/Mysuru: The first batch of nine Dasara elephants were accorded a traditional welcome at Mysore Palace, following a ceremony at Jayamarthanda Gate of the Palace, during Tula Lagna (between 10 am and 10.30 am) this morning.

This heralds the preparations for Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara scheduled to be held from Oct. 3 to 12 in the city.

Shashishekar Dixit, Chief Priest of Sri Chamundeshwari temple, Chamundi Hill, along with priest Prahlad Rao performed various rituals to the elephants led by howdah elephant Abhimanyu, which was followed by the customary Police Guard of Honour to caparisoned elephants. The elephants will be camping here for over 50 days till they leave for their respective forest camps on Oct. 15, three days after Jumboo Savari on Oct. 12.

Later, in the absence of District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, MLAs Tanveer Sait, K. Harishgowda and T.S. Srivatsa showered flower petals on the elephants, marking their entry to Palace.

Cultural troupes

Various cultural troupes performed Dollu Kunita, Puja Kunita and Veeragase Kunita, making for a festive occasion, while the artistes dressed like soldiers of yore holding spears and royal insignia in their hand, relived the princely era. The traditionally dressed Nadaswara artistes including men and women provided the perfect background score, elevating the festive mood, as the elephants marched towards Gaja Dhwara (elephant door) at the centre of the Palace.

The kits containing the essentials for mahouts and kavadis of Dasara elephants, and their family members were distributed on the occasion.

Routine walk from Aug. 25

DCF (Wildlife) Mysuru Division, Dr. I.B. Prabhugowda said, the first batch of elephants have been brought to the Palace without any hiccup from Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram. The second batch of five elephants are expected to arrive in 10 to 15 days.

“All the elephants are fit and the special diet will be provided to them to ensure their upkeep, during their stay in the Palace. They will be taken for a routine weight check tomorrow, with the regular exercise on Vijayadashami procession route (Raja Marga) scheduled from Aug. 25, both during morning and evening hours to acclimatise them with the hustle and bustle of the traffic, covering the total two-way distance of 9-km between Palace and Torchlight Parade Grounds, the culmination point of Jumboo Savari,” said DCF.

Alternative jumbos

To a question on selection of any alternative elephants (standby elephants) among four kept as reserve, that would be trained during the routine walk, he said, there is no decision yet on the same. But all the 14 elephants among total 18 elephants selected for the D-day, are fit, he added.

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, ZP CEO K.M. Gayathri, City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, SP N. Vishnuvardhan, DCP (Law and Order) M. Muthuraj and DCP (Crime and Traffic) S. Jahnavi, Deputy Director of Mysore Palace Board T.S. Subramanya, Joint Director of Tourism Department M.K. Savitha and other officials were present.

At Aranya Bhavan

Earlier in the day, at Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram, priest Prahlad Rao performed various rituals, before the elephants started marching towards the Palace, with Nadaswara artistes  accompanying them.

APCCF Kumar Pushkar, Conservator of Forest (CF), Mysuru Circle, M. Malathi Priya, Conservator of Forest (CF), Project Tiger, P. Ramesh Kumar, DCF (Wildlife) Dr. I.B. Prabhugwoda, DCF (Territorial) Dr. K.N. Basavaraj along with their family members, ACF Lakshmikanth, RFO Santosh Hoogar and other Forest Department officials, took part in the rituals.

Following Gajapayana at Veeranahosahalli Gate in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve forest on Aug. 21, the elephants were camping at Aranya Bhavan, on their arrival in the city same day.

The elephants majestically marched through Ballal Circle, JLB Road, Ramaswamy Circle,

Chamaraja Double road, Dr. Shivarathri Rajendra Circle (near Gun House), before reaching Jayamarthanda Gate of the Palace on Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road.

As a precautionary measure, the commando wing of City Police guarded the elephants, by holding a rope around, restricting the trespassers.