Dasara jumbos to enter Mysuru Palace today

The elephants brought for participation in Dasara festivities, will arrive at the the Mysuru Palace around 4.30 pm, on Wednesday.

The Dasara elephants will be accorded a ritualistic welcome by dignitaries, including ministers G T Devegowda, Sa Ra Mahesh and other elected representatives. The countdown for Dasara began with ‘Gajapayana,’ the march of elephants from forest camps to Mysuru, on September 2, at Veeranahosahalli forest, in Hunsur taluk under Nagarahole National Park. The Dasara celebration will commence on October 10 and conclude on October19. While elephants Arjuna, Varalakshmi, Gopi, Vikrama and Dhananjaya left Veeranahosahalli, Chaitra was directly brought from Bandipur elephant camp. They are housed on the premises of Aranya Bhavan in city.

The elephants will participate in a few festivities and rituals related to Dasara. Jamboo Savari, the procession of caparisoned elephants, accompanied by various tableaux and folk art troupes, will be held on October 19. A suitable elephant will carry the golden howdah in the Jamboo Savari. This time also, Arjuna, which has already carried the golden howdah eight times, would be the howdah carrier.

The elephants were bathed and prepared for the welcome ceremony at the Palace. The elephants were let to acquaint with each other. Forest department officials and veterinarians examined the elephants and certified that they were healthy and fit for participation in the celebrations.

All arrangements have been made on the Palace premises for housing Dasara elephants, their caretakers and their family members.