<p>Mysuru: the training for the first batch of nine Dasara elephants began on Tuesday in order to familiarise them with the Jamboo Savari procession route - the Raja marga - in Mysuru and to get them accustomed to the crowd. </p><p>The pachyderms, which begin their journey from Mysuru Palace by 7.27 am, reached the old RMC Yard on Sayyaji Rao Road by 8.10 am. </p><p>They relaxed there for about 10 minutes, even as their mahouts and kavadis sipped tea at a local shop. Then, they returned to the Palace premises by 8.50 am. They covered a total of 4.43 km in about 1 hour 20 minutes. </p> .<p>Escorted by the officials of the Forest and Police departments - one vehicle in the front, and three behind - the gentle giants: Abhimanyu, Lakshmi, Kaveri, Bheema, Mahendra, Ekalavya, Prashantha, Dhananjaya, and Kanjan moved majestically. </p><p>The Police personnel made announcements, urging the people not to shout, cheer or tease the elephants. Traffic Police cleared the vehicular traffic, for their smooth and safe movement. </p> .<p>Akash and Anusha from Hunsur, who were getting their pre-wedding photo shoot at Chamaraja Circle near the North Gate of Mysuru Palace, felt privileged to pose with the elephants, when they began their stroll. Parents rushed their children like three-year-old Pushvi, and two-year-old Ruthu, to show the pachyderms near KR Circle. </p><p>Roopa, a flower vendor, offered 15 meters of flowers near Devaraja Market to all nine elephants. Kemparaju and Manju offered flowers near the Government Ayurveda College Circle. Several students like D P Anusha and K S Renusri, studying third year BSc Nursing in Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, stopped - to catch a glimpse of the elephants near Panchamukhi Ganapathi temple. People lined up on either side of the road, took photos, selfies and videos on their mobile phones.</p><p>A magnetic metal detector, attached to the escort vehicle, moved in front of them, to ensure that no sharp object pricks the feet of the pachyderms. It collect at least half a kg of metals and sharp objects like nails on the procession route. </p> .<p>DCF I B Prabhu Gowda led the training, by walking along with them. He said that the elephants are healthy, calm and settled in Mysuru. They will continue the training in phases. They will soon be familiarised with the entire 4.8 km stretch of the Jamboo Savari route, up to Bannimantapa. The second batch of a few more elephants will arrive in two weeks. </p><p>J S Vasantha, mahout of Abhimanyu, said that their family members will join them in a couple of days. </p><p>The pachyderms were taken on a stroll in the evening too, to familiarise them with lights, as it would be dusk by the time they return from Bannimantapa to the Palace after the grand finale procession. They left the Palace by 5.28 pm, reached Ayurveda College Circle and returned to the Palace by 6.42 pm. They took 50 minutes to cover 2.80 km. </p>
<p>Mysuru: the training for the first batch of nine Dasara elephants began on Tuesday in order to familiarise them with the Jamboo Savari procession route - the Raja marga - in Mysuru and to get them accustomed to the crowd. </p><p>The pachyderms, which begin their journey from Mysuru Palace by 7.27 am, reached the old RMC Yard on Sayyaji Rao Road by 8.10 am. </p><p>They relaxed there for about 10 minutes, even as their mahouts and kavadis sipped tea at a local shop. Then, they returned to the Palace premises by 8.50 am. They covered a total of 4.43 km in about 1 hour 20 minutes. </p> .<p>Escorted by the officials of the Forest and Police departments - one vehicle in the front, and three behind - the gentle giants: Abhimanyu, Lakshmi, Kaveri, Bheema, Mahendra, Ekalavya, Prashantha, Dhananjaya, and Kanjan moved majestically. </p><p>The Police personnel made announcements, urging the people not to shout, cheer or tease the elephants. Traffic Police cleared the vehicular traffic, for their smooth and safe movement. </p> .<p>Akash and Anusha from Hunsur, who were getting their pre-wedding photo shoot at Chamaraja Circle near the North Gate of Mysuru Palace, felt privileged to pose with the elephants, when they began their stroll. Parents rushed their children like three-year-old Pushvi, and two-year-old Ruthu, to show the pachyderms near KR Circle. </p><p>Roopa, a flower vendor, offered 15 meters of flowers near Devaraja Market to all nine elephants. Kemparaju and Manju offered flowers near the Government Ayurveda College Circle. Several students like D P Anusha and K S Renusri, studying third year BSc Nursing in Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, stopped - to catch a glimpse of the elephants near Panchamukhi Ganapathi temple. People lined up on either side of the road, took photos, selfies and videos on their mobile phones.</p><p>A magnetic metal detector, attached to the escort vehicle, moved in front of them, to ensure that no sharp object pricks the feet of the pachyderms. It collect at least half a kg of metals and sharp objects like nails on the procession route. </p> .<p>DCF I B Prabhu Gowda led the training, by walking along with them. He said that the elephants are healthy, calm and settled in Mysuru. They will continue the training in phases. They will soon be familiarised with the entire 4.8 km stretch of the Jamboo Savari route, up to Bannimantapa. The second batch of a few more elephants will arrive in two weeks. </p><p>J S Vasantha, mahout of Abhimanyu, said that their family members will join them in a couple of days. </p><p>The pachyderms were taken on a stroll in the evening too, to familiarise them with lights, as it would be dusk by the time they return from Bannimantapa to the Palace after the grand finale procession. They left the Palace by 5.28 pm, reached Ayurveda College Circle and returned to the Palace by 6.42 pm. They took 50 minutes to cover 2.80 km. </p>