Pachyderm paraphernalia is what links Kerala's Pooram to Mysuru Dasara

Bedecked jumbos are a star attraction during the annual Jamboo Savari in Mysuru. 

Not many are probably aware that ornaments used to decorate Dasara elephants are on display at one of the gates to the Mysuru palace for a decade now. 

Among the beautifully crafted ornaments kept for public viewing are the Nettipattam (three-foot-long forehead decorative ornaments), the neck bells, anklets, neck ropes, venchamaram (fly whisks made of hair from yak tail) and colourful umbrellas.

These ornaments were created by artisans from Thrissur in Kerala. Made specifically for Dasara, they are similar to those used for the elephant pageant at the Pooram festival in Kerala.

They were donated to the Palace Board by State Bank of India and State Bank of Mysore during Dasara 2013, Palace Board deputy director T S Subramanya told DH.

This followed a request from the palace authorities to the banks that the old ones in the custody of the Palace Board were worn out and there was a need to replace them with news ones.    

The art pieces and the showcase in which they are kept together cost Rs 3 lakh in 2013.

Prior to that, one got to see the items for elephant decoration only during Jamboo Savari. 

Swathi, a II PU student from Bengaluru who is on a trip to the palace, is overjoyed at being able to see the jumbo jewellery up, close and personal. 

“We have seen caparisoned elephants marching in the Dasara procession on TV. But looking at these jewels in detail, I can visualise better the grandeur called Jamboo Savari,” said Swathi. 

Nateshan from Tamil Nadu said looking at the elephant jewellery and the embellished palace gives him an idea of how grand Dasara is in Mysuru. 

The Nettipattam adorns the head of the howdah elephant and a few other elephants. 

Another decorative item on display is Singoti, which covers the tusks of the howdah elephant.

There are also 10 silken parasols (colourful umbrellas), 10 strings of neck bells, which make the tinkling sound as the jumbos walk majestically, a pair of solid anklets tied to the howdah elephant, belts and sharp-edged tools used by mahouts to discipline elephants. 

Though no new ornaments have been donated in recent times, some are showing interest in this regard, sources said.

H Chandrashekar, assistant commissioner of police, Mysuru palace, told DH that the ornaments of jumbos are in the custody of the ACP’s office.

The jewellery is handed over to the forest department for cleaning and decorating the jumbos on the day prior to Vijayadashami (the Jamboo Savari day). They are returned to the ACP’s office after the grand finale of Dasara.