Broken tiles being replaced on pedestrian paths, royal gardens

Mysuru: The 409th Dasara, popularly called Nada Habba, is fast approaching. The unique part of the festival is the presence of the gentle giants without whom the celebrations, which is a mix of the traditional and modern, will be incomplete. 

Hence, the preparations are going on at the Mysore Palace to receive the Dasara elephants where they will be housed for nearly two months. The Gajapayana or the elephant march will begin tomorrow and the place where they will be bathed is being cleaned as there was lot of dung round the place.

The tiles where the pedestrians walk and near the royal gardens are damaged are being replaced with interlocking tiles. The Gandeberunda, the symbol of the erstwhile royal family, painted in front of the Palace has got a fresh coat of paint. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya said that the Gajapayana will start from Veeranahosahalli in Hunsur taluk from Aug.22 and the elephants will arrive in the Palace on Aug.26 between 12.30 pm and 3 pm.

On the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, all arrangements are being made to receive the elephants. The elephants which will arrive at the Palace from the forests will be received with all State honours, he said.

The tents where the mahouts, kavadis and their families will stay are getting ready.  Yesterday, the place where the mahouts and their families will stay was getting cleaned using JCB. The old tiles are being replaced with new ones, said Subramanya.