A team of mahouts and kaavadis mounted the golden howdah weighting 750 kg on the back of Arjuna, who carried the howdah from the Mysuru Palace premises to Bannimantap as part of Jamboo Savari.
According to sources, the process of mounting the howdah started at 3.45 pm and ended at 4.30pm. Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Ganesh Bhat supervised the whole process.
“Fixing the howdah on the back of the elephant is a complex job, which needs high level of expertise. A slight mismatch in the placement of the howdah can cause serious problem to the elephant and also tilt the howdah.”
The golden howdah belongs to the Wodeyar family, the erstwhile rulers of the princely Mysuru state. The howdah has been insured by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, wife of the late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. The insurance covers the golden howdah against accidental damage during the procession. The insurance coverage for the howdah is from October 10 to 16.