Mysuru: The training for the first batch of eight Dasara elephants on the Jumboo Savari route began yesterday with howdah elephant Arjuna leading the team.

The first batch of Dasara elephants which arrived to Mysuru on Aug. 12, were housed at Aloka in Yelwal before they were welcomed into the Mysore Palace on Aug. 17. The elephants underwent weight checking on Aug. 18 and the training sessions commenced yesterday.

The eight elephants — comprising Balarama, Abhimanyu, Gajendra, Bheema, Kaveri, Vijaya and Varalakshmi, led by Golden Howdah carrying Arjuna — came out of the North Gate of the Palace at about 7.10 am yesterday, walked majestically via K.R. Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road, Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle, Old RMC Circle, Bamboo Bazar, Moulana Abul Kalam Circle (Highway Circle) and reached the Torchlight Parade Ground in Bannimantap at about 8.55 am.

Arjuna stops moving near Old RMC Circle

Yesterday being the first day of the training session, Arjuna walked majestically from the Palace premises but stopped moving for about 20 minutes when it reached the Old  RMC Circle.

Though the Mahout tried his best to make Arjuna move, it did not budge from the place until Mahout Mahesh alias Sanappa, who guided Arjuna successfully in the last year’s Jumboo Savari, managed to get Arjuna moving.

The elephants, upon reaching the Torchlight Parade Ground, were provided with water besides giving them rest for sometime before returning to the Palace on the same route.

While motorists gave way for the elephants, pedestrians and passersby were seen clicking photographs on their mobile phones besides fruit and flower vendors offering bananas and flowers to the elephants.

DCF V. Yedukondalu, Veterinarian Dr. D.N. Nagaraju, RFO Devaraju, elephants in-charge Rangaraju and others accompanied the elephants on the first day of training yesterday.