People throng procession route to have a glimpse, click pics 

Mysuru: With Dasara festivities commencing on Oct. 3 and concluding with Jumboo Savari on Vijayadashami Day on Oct. 12, a total of 14 Dasara elephants from various elephant camps have arrived in two batches to Mysore Palace.

As part of route familiarisation exercise and weight carrying training, these jumbos are taken on Jumboo Savari route so that they get accustomed to the sound and noise of vehicles.

Yesterday evening, Dhananjaya led 12 other jumbos (except Varalakshmi) during the training on Jumboo Savari route which was crowded by localites and tourists as it was a Sunday.

Curious onlookers clicked photos of the 13 Dasara jumbos walking majestically from Mysore Palace to Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle passing via Chamaraja Circle, K.R. Circle and Sayyaji Rao Road and returning to the Palace on the same route.

While Dhanjaya led the jumbos, Golden Howdah carrier Captain Abhimanyu followed the jumbos in the end. While these jumbos were passing on Sayyaji Rao Road, many people, who were standing near Devaraja Market offered flowers and the Mahouts, who received the flowers placed them on the head of the jumbos. Children, who usually see elephants on TV, were thrilled to see them in front of them and enjoyed thoroughly.

Wooden Howdah carrying exercise to continue tomorrow: DCF (Wildlife) Dr. I.B. Prabhu Gowda, speaking to SOM yesterday, said that as a fresh coat of paint is applied to the Wooden Howdah, it was not used for training yesterday and there will be no Wooden Howdah carrying training today (Sept. 23) also and this training will continue from tomorrow (Sept. 24). It is yet to be decided to which elephant the Wooden Howdah will be mounted, the DCF added.