Mahendra carries Wooden Howdah with ease on Jumboo Savari route

Walks majestically with 900 kg weight; reaches destination in one hour, 40 minutes

Mysuru: The training for Dasara elephants to carry weight continued yesterday too with elephant Mahendra, who will be carrying the howdah at Srirangapatna Dasara, rehearsing with the Wooden Howdah and sand bags on the Jumboo Savari route in city yesterday.

Mahendra, the 41-year-old tusker, trained to capture wild elephants and tiger, carried the Wooden Howdah weighing 250 kg and about 650 kg sand bags in it from Mysore Palace to the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantap in one hour and 40 minutes with Kumki elephants Doddaharave Lakshimi on his right side and Rampura Camp’s Lakshmi on his left side. He is participating in Mysuru Dasara for the third time and has taken part in Srirangapatna Dasara twice.

After placing Gaadi and Namda and securing them with ropes on his back, Mahendra, along with Kumki elephants, was taken near the residence of the royal family in the Palace premises where a crane has been installed and the Wooden Howdah was placed on the Gaadi-Namda with the help of the crane and secured with ropes.

After confirming that the Wooden Howdah was secured tightly, Kumki elephants were made to stand on either side of Mahendra and was led to the North Gate of the Palace along with other Dasara Elephants during which visitors clicked photos and selfies with the elephants.

The elephants were first taken around the Palace and later led out of the North Gate and passed via KR Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road, Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle, RMC Circle, Bamboo Bazar Road, Highway Circle and Nelson Mandela Road before reaching the Torchlight Parade Grounds.

The jumbos, which came out of the Palace at 4.50 pm, reached the Torchlight Parade Grounds at about 6.30 pm.

Dhananjaya, Kanjan walk peacefully

Meanwhile, Dasara elephants Dhananjaya and Kanjan, who had created panic among the public by running amok inside the Palace and Kanjan later pushing the barricades and running on the road on Friday night, displayed calmness and walked peacefully with other Dasara elephants. As a precautionary measure, the Forest and Police Departments had elaborate steps to prevent public from venturing near the elephants.