JOIN USPack-up time for pachyderms: Dasara jumbos leave Mysuru palace for forest
It’s pack-up time for the gentle giants, the heartthrob of millions every Dasara.
The jumbos which took part in Jamboo Savari, the finale of the nine-day festival, led by howdah elephant Abhimanyu left for their abode, the respective forest camps, from the Mysuru palace on Sunday.
The elephants: Chaitra, Kaveri, Gopalaswamy, Vikrama, Ashwathama, Dhananjaya, Lakshmi and Gopalaswamy were camping on the palace premises from September 16, to participate in the Vijayadashami procession held on October 15.
However, only six elephants participated in Jamboo Savari.
While Chaitra and Lakshmi returned to Ramapura camp, Dhananjaya, Kaveri and Vikrama returned to the Dubare elephant camp. First-time participant, Ashwathama, was sent to the Dodda Harave camp.
The forest department, district administration and the Mysuru Palace Board gave the elephants a grand farewell. This time, the mahouts and kavadis were given a honorarium of Rs 10,000 by the Palace Board.
Deputy conservator of forests Karikalan, who gave away Rs 10,000 each to the mahouts and kavadis, said the jumbo caretakers conducted the event successfully and the cash reward as a token of appreciation.
The elephants were offered a special puja and special food was given to them.
However, Ashwathama and Lakshmi resisted boarding the trucks. Abhimanyu, Gopalaswamy and Dhananjaya managed to push Ashwathama into the truck.
A large number of people, including tourists, took a glimpse of the home-bound elephants.
It has to be noted that the first leg of Gajapayana, the traditional jumbo march, started from Veeranahosahalli, the entry point of Nagarahole tiger reserve in Hunsur taluk of the district on September 13.
The elephants were brought to Aranya Bhavan the same day and were shifted to the palace on September 16.
The elephants were given special care during their stay in Mysuru. They were put under a nutritious diet and the pachyderms gained weight.
The jumbos underwent rigorous training for Jamboo Savari. Abhimanyu, Gopalaswamy and Dhananjaya were subjected to a weight-carrying test and all the elephants were familiarised with the sound of cannon firing.
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