Arjuna carries 280 kg howdah for Dasara rehearsal

Howdah elephant Arjuna successfully carried the wooden howdah on his back along the Dasara procession route as part of the rehearsal of Dasara Jamboo Savari on Wednesday. The Jamboo Savari is scheduled for October 19.

The wooden howdah, weighing 280 kg, was mounted on Arjuna’s back using a crane on the Mysuru Palace premises, where the golden howdah weighing 750 kg will be mounted.

In addition to the wooden howdah, six sand bags, each weighing 60 kg, were mounted on the back of the elephant. The elephants left the Palace at 8.30 am and reached Bannimanap at 10.30 am, covering a distance of 5 km. There was a tea break for the mahouts and kavadis near the RMC yard on Sayyaji Rao Road.

Arjuna, accompanied by 11 other Dasara elephants, passed through KR Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road and reached Bannimantap.

Veterinarian Dr Nagaraj, the caretaker of Dasara elephants, and Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Sidramappa Chalkapure monitored the rehearsal. The rehearsal is a routine exercise to familiarise the elephants to carry the howdah.

Arjuna successfully carried the wooden howdah, giving confidence to the officials concerned. The weight on his back will be gradually increased in the second round. Second-line elephants Gopi and Dhananjaya, also first-time participants, will also carry the howdah during the rehearsal, the DCF said.