Beginning the official countdown to the famed Mysuru Dasara, the group of elephants, led by the mighty tusker Arjuna, embarked on the Gajapayana – a stately march from the jungle camps to the city of palaces, on Saturday.
An age-old tradition, that had gone out of vogue for decades till it was revived about 15 years ago, Gajapayana is a symbolic rendition of an elaborate affair that entailed covering the nearly 60 km from the forests to the city on foot. In present times, the first batch of caparisoned elephants march a short distance after which they are transported to the city in trucks.
Flagged off near Nagapura on the outskirts of the Nagarahole National Park, the elephants were the cynosure of all eyes as they left a large batch of tourists, brought to witness the occasion for the first time, mesmerised.
The animals were accorded a traditional welcome complete with ‘poorna kumbha’ amidst the chanting of hymns in the backdrop of the ensemble of musicians playing traditional tunes. Special prayers, including Ganesh ashtotthara, were conducted for the safety of the elephants and the collective welfare of society, while coconuts, jaggery and sugarcane were offered in plenty to the jumbos.
Cultural programmes that included tribal and folk dances were presented. Elected representatives led by Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, who is also the Mysuru district in-charge, and officials from the district administration and Forest Department were among those present.
The six elephants in the first batch include Arjuna, Balarama, Abhimanyu, Kaveri, Varalakshmi and Vijaya. Bhima and Gajendra are being transported from Mathigodu and K. Gudi camps, respectively. They will be joined by the second batch of seven other elephants in a few weeks’ time and will camp at the sprawling open space of the Mysuru Palace rehearsing for Dasara, which will be held from September 21 to 30 this year, adding to the festivities celebrated as Nada Habba (State festival) in Karnataka.
All the eight elephants reached Aloka campus of the Forest Department on the outskirts of the city in the evening and will move into the palace on August 17 where they will be accorded a traditional reception.
A recurring motif in Indian art and architecture, elephants — that symbolise wisdom and strength in Indian culture — are strongly entwined with Mysuru Dasara since time immemorial. The earliest extant paintings of a Dasara procession show them occupying a pivotal position carrying the king. In modern times, they have the honour of carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari on the day of the Vijayadashmi procession.
The Dasara official website www.mysoredasara.gov.in was also launched on the occasion.
World Elephant Day
This year’s Gajapayana was coincidentally held on World Elephant Day — observed to highlight the plight of Indian and African elephants — on Saturday.
Besides this, Gaja Yatra, a nation-wide rally by Wildlife Trust of India in association with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, is also being held to mark the occasion.
The objective of Gaja Yatra is to create awareness on shrinking elephant space owing to encroachment, habitat destruction and fragmentation and the imperatives of protecting or reclaiming for elephants the ancient corridors or tracts of forests, which they use during their course of migration.
Elephants, mahouts insured
The Dasara elephants and their mahouts have been insured by the authorities against any unforeseen event. While 15 elephants, which will take part in Dasara, have been insured for ₹2.8 lakh each with New India Insurance Company Ltd., the 30 mahouts accompanying them have been insured for ₹1 lakh each. Besides, there is insurance coverage for public liability for ₹22.5 lakh. The period of insurance coverage is from August 12 to October 4, 2017.
