The first batch of six elephants, led by Arjuna, was accorded a warm and traditional welcome on its arrival at the Mysuru Palace to participate in the Dasara festival, here on Friday.
The elephants, which completed the Gajapayana from the jungle camps at Veeranahosahalli on Sunday, were camping at Aloka campus on the outskirts of the city and the forest department received them at Aranya Bhavan this morning. After special prayers, the elephants were decorated and embellished with flowers and decorative motifs at 2 p.m., following which they marched through the thoroughfares of the city to arrive at the Jayamartanda Gate of the main palace.
As Arjuna and company marched through the main roads, traffic came to a grinding halt even as people lined up to behold the arrival of the elephants that signals the countdown to Mysuru Dasara. The elephants marched in a single file with Arjuna in the lead, followed by Balarama, Gajendra, Abhimanyu, Kavery and Vijaya.
The caparisoned elephants were led by a pilot vehicle symbolizing the importance accorded to them and on reaching the Jayamartanda Gate, the elephants made a swift turn to the right and lined up to facilitate a photo opportunity to the waiting cameramen. Tourists visiting the palace were pleasantly surprised at the arrival of the elephants and made a dash towards it for a possible selfie.
Dignitaries including the Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa, MLA M.K. Somashekar, senior forest department officials including Deputy Conservator of Forests V. Karikalan formally received the elephants and showered flower petals, while priests conducted various rituals and performed “arathi” to the elephants to the accompaniment of music. The police band presented the caparisoned elephants the guard of honour and led them from the Jayamartanda Gate to the main palace precincts, where they were again received with honours and fed with sugarcane, jaggery and plantains.
The elephants will camp in the palace courtyard till the completion of the Dasara festivities. In the interim, they will undergo rigorous training for the Dasara procession. The authorities have already made elaborate arrangements for the stay of the mahouts and their families on the palace courtyard. Arjuna and company will be subjected to routine health check up and will be on a special diet so they gain adequate weight and strength. The second batch of another six elephants led by Vikrama, Gopi, Harsha, Prashanth, Durga Parameshwari and Gopalaswamy will join them after a few days.
