Mysuru:  “Our elephants play a central role in our Mysore tradition. Visited Arjuna and the other elephants that have arrived at The Palace, Mysore, for the Navaratri Festivities,” is the message that the scion of the erstwhile Mysore Royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar posted on his Facebook page yesterday.

He along with his wife Trishikha Devi Wadiyar and son Aadyaveer visited the camp in the Mysore Palace yesterday, where the Dasara elephants are housed and in an affectionate gesture caressed the elephants and also served them jaggery and fruits. Yaduveer also fed the elephants with hay.

The elephants are camping near Kodi Someshwara temple and Yaduveer spoke to the Mahouts, Kavadis and the Forest officials enquiring with them about the condition of the elephants and their food habits.

Every year the erstwhile royal family’s Pramoda Devi Wadiyar also visits the place where the Dasara elephants are housed in the Palace premises.