Billed as future howdah carrier, Dasara elephant carries Wooden Howdah regally

Mysore/Mysuru: In his debut attempt, Dasara elephant Sugreeva carried Wooden Howdah with ease on Jumboo Savari route, from Palace to Bannimantap in the city yesterday, completing the gigantic task in one-and-a-half hours, winning over the appreciation of Forest Department personnel.

Participating in Dasara for the third year, Sugreeva remained calm and composed, ambling along the Jumboo Savari route, carrying the weight of 600-kg on his back, including 280-kg weight of Wooden Howdah.

With his unfettered poise, Sugreeva emerged as a ray of hope for the future, with Forest Department zeroing in on the elephants, to acclimatise them with the task of carrying 750-kg Golden Howdah in the future, the main attraction of Jumboo Savari procession.

For record, Sugreeva is also the heaviest among 14 Dasara elephants, weighing 5,545-kg, though he arrived in the second batch. Till his arrival, Bheema who came in the first batch, enjoyed the tag of being the heaviest, by weighing 5,465-kg.

At about 4.30 pm in the evening, Sugreeva was coaxed towards the manual crane installed in front of the residential wing of the erstwhile Mysore Royal Family. The Wooden Howdah was mounted on the elephant, along with additional weights, before setting out on a practice walk. With female elephants Cauvery and Hemavathi selected as Kumki elephants, Sugreeva enjoying the company of female elephants, went around the Palace, before exiting the Palace Fort through North Gate at about 4.45 pm.

The other elephants — howdah carrier designate Abhimanyu, Mahendra, Gopi, Bheema, Srikanta, Roopa, Dhananjaya, Lakshmi, Prashanth, Kanjan and Ekalavya, followed Sugreeva, in a disciplined manner.

Though it began to rain, the elephants remained undisturbed, following the command of their mahouts, that served as a perfect entertainment for the bystanders, who had firmly occupied the either side of Jumboo Savari route, passing through Albert Victor Road, K.R. Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road, New Sayyaji Rao Road and Bamboo Bazar, before culminating at Bannimantap, the end point of the procession.

The practice of carrying Wooden Howdah, marks the final leg of preparation for the D-day. It began on Sept. 15, with howdah carrier designate Abhimanyu, carrying the Wooden Howdah and sand bags, totalling 750-kg. After two days, on Sept. 18, elephant Mahendra successfully performed the task of carrying the Howdah. Sugreeva, the third elephant in the row to handle the strenuous task, did it with ease, albeit the total weight of sand bags on his back was reduced by 150-kg, considering his maiden attempt.

Now, Forest Department is preparing elephants Dhananjaya and Prashanth to carry the Wooden Howdah.

After the elephants Abhimanyu and Mahendra, elephant Sugreeva was picked to carry the Wooden Howdah. Considering his debut in carrying the Wooden Howdah, the total weight mounted on the elephant was reduced by 150-kg. The next in line for similar practice are elephants Dhananjaya and Prashanth. These elephants are considered as the future howdah carriers and are responding well. —DCF Dr. I.B. Prabhu Gowda.