While Arjuna, carrying the golden howdah, makes for a highlight of Jamboo Savari, Aane Gaadi, a good old elephant drawn canopied cart that was carrying Karnataka Band during the procession, was another major attraction every year.
This year, Aane Gaadi was missing, with Motor Gaadi (motor vehicle) replacing not just the pachyderm, but the wooden cart too, that dates back to the princely rule.
Following a strict no from the Forest Department to spare elephant Abhimanyu, which was regularly pulling the cart citing health reasons, the Dasara Executive Committee at the district-level had to go for a motorised vehicle.
As a result, a lorry, covered by a tableau of the Palace Court, with replicas of elephants in the front, carried the performing artistes attached to the band. Not to ignore the aura of majesty, either side of the front portion of the vehicle was decorated with paintings of elephant.
During last two years, Abhimanyu had suffered a wound on his limbs as the side bars of the cart were rubbing against his body as and when the elephant was negotiating curves on the procession route. Even though, the Forest department personnel tried to address the problem by covering the ropes with pillows, it was too little for the elephant.
So, the Forest department put forth a proposal to look for an alternative and it was eventually decided to use a vehicle. Hence, Abhimanyu donned the new role of ‘Naufat’, this year.
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