Mounted police falls off horse during Dasara rehearsal

A police personnel, attached to Mounted Company, fell off a horse during the ‘Dasara Jamboo Savari’ rehearsal on Mysuru Palace premises on Thursday. However, the rider escaped unhurt.

The incident happened when the horses and elephants were taken out for a rehearsal for the ‘Jamboo Savari’, which is scheduled to be held on October 26, the Vijayadashami day. The horse seemed to be frightened at the sight of elephants and started to run helter-skelter. The rider lost control and fell off the horse. An officer said, “The rider is safe and no injuries were sustained. The horse was a little nervous and it will be familiarised with the elephants.”

The Mounted Company is an integral part of Dasara, since the period of the Wadiyar kings, the erstwhile rulers of Mysore State.

The horses, attached to the Company, which was commissioned in 1951, play a major role in the Dasara procession, from the beginning up to the end of the Torchlight Parade at Bannimantapa.

Due to outbreak of Covid-19, this Dasara, Jamboo Savari is limited to Mysuru Palace premises. In normal years, Jamboo Savari used to be between Mysuru Palace and Bannimantap Grounds, covering 5 km.

The howdah elephant carries the 750 kg golden howdah on his back along the Jamboo Savari route, as part of Vijayadashami procession.

With only a few days remaining for Jamboo Savari, the horses’ and elephants are familiarised to the sound of cannons and all the animals performed well, during the session, said an officer.

The practice sessions were organised outside the palace. As many as 21 rounds of fire, using cannons, will be shot before the commencement of the Jamboo Savari, on Vijayadashami, the final leg of Dasara, on October 26.

The horses are under training. The horses, along with Dasara elephants, will undergo training for another two days, on the Palace premises, said an officer.