Mysore/Mysuru: Upkeep of electric fittings inside the Mysore Palace is going on to keep date with Dasara 2020, which will begin on Oct. 17 and culminate with ‘Jumboo Savari’ on Oct. 26.

There are 25 five-lights lampposts, 12 seven-lights lampposts and over 250 OLP lampposts. Iron scaffoldings are being erected to clean lampposts and replace the burnt bulbs. Once these works are completed, the work of replacing the fused out incandescent bulbs will begin. Though this year Dasara celebrations are restricted to Chamundi Hill and Palace, all important circles, thoroughfares and the Government buildings will be illuminated. Giving a goodbye to the China-made lighting, the indigenously manufactured lighting will be used.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has directed the District Administration not to use any China items anywhere. All these years, the contractors were using China-made serial sets, bulbs and other things to illuminate the city. Now, they are procuring raw materials from Kolkata and Delhi to give a ‘desi’ touch Naada Habba.

Elephant Shelter

With five selected Dasara elephants scheduled to reach Mysuru from their respective camps on Oct. 1 and enter the Mysore Palace on Oct. 2, repair of stone slabs at elephant shelters in the Palace and replacing inter-locking tiles for these elephants to walk on are going on in full swing besides cleaning the premises for these Dasara guests.

As against 12 to 13 Dasara elephants, which used to arrive every year, only five elephants — Abhimanyu, Gopi, Vikram, Kaveri and Vijaya — have been selected for Dasara, which would be a low-key celebration, owing to COVID-19 pandemic this year.

Works on construction of a stone wall to prevent elephants from climbing up is going on. The stone wall was damaged as the elephants had stepped on them last year.

Laying of inter-locking tiles: The 500-mts stretch from Jayamarthanda Gate to the elephant shelter is laid with inter-locking tiles and the ground is being levelled in front of Kodi Someshwara Temple and next to the kitchen where food would be prepared for these gently giants.

Slush used to be formed at these places as rain water remained stagnant here which created problems when elephants were taken for walks.

During Navaratri celebration, ‘Pattada Aane’ and ‘Nishane Aane’ will take part in religious rituals inside the Palace and before the commencement of private durbar and every day morning, the elephants would participate in the rituals at Kodi Someshwara Temple, hence the repair works are taken up.