The first batch of elephants, the prime attraction of Dasara festivities, will begin their journey ‘Gajapayana’ from Veeranahosahalli forest in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve on August 14.
The elephants would be accorded a warm welcome at the Mysore palace on August 15.
Arjuna, the howdah elephant, will lead the batch comprising Balarama, Abhimanyu, Sarala, Mary and Gajendra.
Speaking to presspersons after a meeting with officials on the preparations for Dasara festivities which starts from September 25, Minister in-charge of Mysore district V. Srinivas Prasad said that the State government would release a grant of Rs. 11 crore for the celebrations. This year, efforts would be made to get sponsorships for all the events, he said.
This year, the Dasara Flower Show will be held at the renovated Kuppana Park instead of Curzon Park. The Dasara Food Mela will be held at Scouts and Guides Grounds, he said.
Mr. Prasad said the Governor, Chief Minister Siddaramaiahand Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, wife of scion of Mysore royal family late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, would be formally invited to the festivities soon.
He said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had been requested to send the sound and light show. “The officers are pursuing the matter with the Ministry. The sound and light show will be held at the Oval Grounds.”
On whether the air show would be part of Mysore Dasara-2014, Mr. Prasad said, “Correspondence with the Air Force is in progress.”
Twenty Dasara sub-committees would be constituted for organising the festivities.
Thanks to bountiful rain and brimming reservoirs, farmers in the State have every reason to celebrate Dasara in a grand manner. “We are planning celebrations on a grand scale and will make it better than last year. Consequently, we are eliciting opinions from everyone,” he said.
Minister for Cooperation H.S. Mahadeva Prasad, MLAs Tanveer Sait, Vasu and M.K. Somashekar, Deputy Commissioner (in-charge) S. Palaiah, and Superintendent of Police Abhinav Khare were present at the meeting.
