Mysuru: Dasara jumbos get set for big day

Mysuru: A day after the arrival of Dasara elephants at the Mysuru Palace courtyards where they are staying now along with their caretakers, all five jumbos began with their acclimatisation exercise for Dasara Jumbo Savari procession on Mysuru Palace premises on Saturday.

Owing to Covid-19 pandemic situation, in view of safety of elephants and also people (by avoiding gathering of huge crowd), while it is decided to hold Dasara Jumbo Savari procession within the palace premises, acclimatisation exercise of elephants till 24 of this month, is also limited to Mysuru Palace premises.

The distance of Dasara procession on Vijayadashami day on 26 October, in front of Mysuru palace will be for over 270 meters, according to Palace Board sources.

"So, all five elephants Abhimanyu, Vikrama, Gopi, Vijaya and Cauvery were taken for a stroll around Mysuru Palace within the compound, for about one-andhalf kms between 7.30am and 8.30am and 6pm to 7pm on Saturday," Dr D N Nagaraj, veterinarian in charge for Dasara elephants told The Hans India.

Every year, over 4 lakh people including 40 per cent tourists from other States, five percent foreigners and the rest from the State including the people of neighbourhood villages descended over Mysuru on the Vijayadashami day and gathered on either side of 4.8 km procession route from Mysuru Palace premises to Bannimantap Grounds to watch Dasara Jumbo Savari procession.

And earlier, as part of their acclimatisation exercise, every morning the elephants were familiarised with Jumbo Savari procession route between 7 am and 10.30 am. Also, earlier by the time, the procession reached the venue of torch light parade at Bannimantap Grounds and the elephants returned to Palace courtyards on Vijayadashami day, it used to be around 7 pm.

So earlier, in order to familiarise procession route during night, the elephants used to be taken for evening stroll every day at 6pm from Mysuru Palace courtyards till Ayurvedic college circle and brought back to Mysuru palace courtyards around 7 pm. And every morning and evening even as the gentle giants marched gracefully on the procession route, hundreds of Mysureans and other tourists used to line up on either side not just to have their glimpse but even to pose selfies with them. So, owing to Covid-19 pandemic situation, in view of safety of elephants and people acclimatisation exercise and Jumbo Savari procession is now restricted to Mysuru Palace premises.

But this year, there will not be torch light parade at Bannimantap Grounds. Yet, this year the elephants will be taken on stroll around Mysuru Palace within the compound, in the morning for training, and evening too as part of their routine here, till 24 October.

In the coming days Abhimanyu who will carry 750 kg golden howdah housing the idol of Goddess Chamundeswari in the Jumbo Savari procession, will be trained to carry weight equivalent to 750kg golden howdah, phase wise with sandbags and wooden howdah. And other elephants will be familiarised with their roles in Jumbo Savari procession.

While female elephants Cauvery and Vijaya will be flanked on either side of Abhimanyu, as Kumki elephants, caparisoned Gopi will march at the forefront indicating the beginning of procession, with its mahout Nagaraju sitting on it carrying a flag with royal insignia- "the gandu berunda". Vikrama will function as "Pattada Aane" for private Dasara rituals of erstwhile royal family of Mysuru as part of their traditions, and at the Jumbo Savari procession too.

Gopi will also assist Vikrama in royal family traditions. And all other elephants will be familiarised with their roles. The elephants will also be familiarised with cannon fire shots. Traditionally, 21 cannon shots will be fired from over 150-year-old seven brass barrels, at Mysuru Palace premises after Chief Minister offers floral tribute to Goddess Chamundeswari housed in the golden howdah, carried by Arjuna, during the Dasara Jumbo Savari procession on the Vijayadashami day.