Mysuru Dasara elephants bid farewell after grand procession

Mysuru: After 62 days of their stay in Mysuru, with the completion of their annual mega task of Dasara Jamboo Savari procession on Thursday, it is time to bid adieu to all the fourteen Dasara elephants as they returned to their respective forest camps on Sunday.

All the elephants had lined up for farewell near Kodi Someshwara temple around 11.30 am and the Palace Ganesha temple priest S V Prahlad Rao performed a puja. DCF I B Prabhu Gowda who was the in-charge of the pachyderms offered a floral benediction as a gesture of thanks giving.

RFO Syed Nadeem, Mysuru Palace board deputy director T S Subramanya, Palace Board ACP H M Chandrashekar also joined him. The elephants climbed lorries and left the Palace premises at around 1 pm and reached their camps by evening.

Gowda said, "Every day of training from August 12 to 30 was like a mini Dasara, with so many people gathering on either side of procession route to have a glimpse of the elephants at the heart of the city."

"All the fourteen Dasara elephants including three new elephants - Srikanta, Roopa and Hemavathi who were part of Dasara procession - have performed their roles successfully with all majesty, grace, ease, calm and composure. They were fed with special nutritious food and all have gained good weight. We are thankful to the district administration, police and the general public who have cooperated well," he said.

Mahouts and Kaavadis of the elephants led by J S Vasantha, Mahout of Abhimanyu also expressed happiness about completion of their prime task successfully and returned with satisfaction.

More than 1,000 people rushed to Palace premises along with small children to bid adieu to the gentle giants. Police and forest department did not restrict public entry to the elephant camp and allowed them to spend time with the elephants before they left. Children continued to shower their love for Bheema by screaming out his name as he climbed the lorry.

Nagarahole Tiger Reserve

59-year old Abhimanyu who carried golden howdah for the sixth time; 25-year-old Bheema who earned all the popularity and 56-year-old Srikanta the debutant elephant, all returned to Matthigodu camp of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR).

Abhimanyu who carried golden howdah with his Mahouth J S Vasantha, before they left Palace premises.

44-year-old Roopa returned to Bheemanakatte camp, 54-year-old Lakshmi and 42-year-old Mahendra returned to Balle camp and 40-year-old Ekalavya returned to Doddaharave camp.

Dubare camp

Debutant elephant 11-year-old Hemavathi, 42-year-old Gopi, 43-year-old Sugreeva, 53-year-old Prashantha, 45-year-old Dhananjaya, 26-year-old Kanjan and 45-year-old Kaveri returned to Dubare camp in Madikeri division.

Flanked by Roopa and Cauvery, Abhimanyu, carried the golden howdah in the Dasara Jamboo Savari procession for the sixth time. Dhananjaya proceeded as Nishaane elephant (in the forefront of the procession), Gopi as Nauphath elephant, Mahendra, Srikanta, Lakshmi, Kanjan, Bheema Ekalavya, Prashantha, Sugreeva, and Hemavathi joined as saalaanes.

The first batch of nine Dasara elephants arrived at Aranya Bhavan in Mysuru after the Gajapayana on August 4. They were shifted to Mysuru Palace on August 10. The second batch of five Dasara elephants arrived on August 24.

As a back up plan, in order to have second line of elephants for coming Dasaras, along with Abhimanyu, even Mahendra, Dhananjaya, Ekalavya, Bheema, Sugreeva and Prashantha are being trained to carry the wooden howdah.

At Srirangpatna Dasara, Mahendra carried the howdah, Lakshmi and Kaveri accompanied as kumki on September 25. Srikanta participated as Pattada Aane and Ekalavya as Nishaane Aane for the private Dasara rituals of the erstwhile royal family.

During their stay in camps many of the elephants participate in operations to rescue tigers and elephants.

Dasara Elephants leave Palace premises in lorries, towards their respective forest camps.