Mysore/Mysuru: With just three days left for the Jumboo Savari on Oct. 2, the Mysuru City Police and Forest Department officials conducted the first rehearsal of the Dasara procession inside the Mysore Palace premises this morning.

As part of the exercise, Howdah elephant Abhimanyu, accompanied by Kumki elephants Lakshmi and Hemavathi, was brought near the Palace residence of the Royal Family from their camps near the Kodi Someshwara Temple. A mock exercise of mounting the Golden Howdah on Abhimanyu was performed.

Later, the elephants were led from the Trineshwaraswamy Temple towards the Jayamarthanda Gate and proceeded towards the podium erected in front of the Palace, passing by the Shwetha Varahaswamy Temple.

Upon reaching the podium, officials showered flower petals on the elephants, after which the Police Band played the National Anthem to familiarise the elephants with the sound.

This was followed by 21 rounds of cannon firing, completed within a minute near the Kote Maramma Temple to acclimatise the elephants to the noise. After the cannon firing, the elephants walked up to the Balarama Gate before returning to their camp within the Palace premises. Along with the Police Band, Mounted Police, and other Police troupes also participated in the rehearsal.

The rehearsal was overseen by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) Manoj Rajan, DCP (Law and Order) R.N. Bindu Mani, DCP (CAR) Siddanagouda Patil, Conservator of Forests (Mysuru Circle) Ravishankar, DCF Dr. I.B. Prabhu Gowda, ACP (Palace Security) Chandrashekar, Veterinarian Dr. Adarsh, RFOs Nadeem and Santosh Hoogar, among others.