Dasara elephants' acclimatisation process.
Credit: DH Photo/Anup T Ragh
The acclimatisation exercise for Dasara jumbos for the Vijayadashami procession on the Dasara Jamboo Savari procession route began on Friday morning.
All eight jumbos which left Mysuru Palace premises via its North gate at 7 am, covered the entire stretch of the 4.8 km procession route or Raja Marga and reached Bannimantap ground 8.15 am. They relaxed a bit there and started heading back towards the Palace from Bannimantap ground at 8.55 am and reached Mysuru Palace premises by 10.02 am.
Led by Abhimanyu who will carry the Golden Howdah, all other male Elephants Gopi, Dhananjaya, Mahendra, Bheema, (new Elephant) Kanjan and female Elephants Varalakshmi and Vijaya lined up and marched along the route.
It was a sight to behold, for Mysureans who lined up on either side of the road near Chamaraja Circle, City bus stand, Sayyaji Rao Road, Highway Circle and Bannimantap ground to watch them. They continued to capture videos, photos of jumbos and with them on their mobile phones.
The same exercise will be repeated by 5.30 pm for a shorter distance.
DCF Mysuru division Saurab Kumar, RFO Santhosh Hoogar, Chief Veterinary officer, Mujeeb Ur Rehman and other forest department personnel, led the acclimatisation exercise. Vehicles of the police department and forest department escorted the Dasara jumbos. As usual, a magnetic metal screener attached to the escort vehicle in the front screened for nails or any metals to ensure they didn't pierce the legs of Dasara Jumbos. Police department made arrangements for zero traffic and their security.
After the acclimatisation exercise, caretakers of Dasara Jumbos massaged the head of each Elephant with Castor oil, to cool them, and their feet with Neem oil since it has antibiotic quality. They were given showers during the day to cool them, according to Dr Mujeeb.
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