Mysuru: As the state is preparing for the world famous Dasara festival in Mysuru, elephant team leader Abhimanyu started practicing with wooden howdah on Friday October 1.
Going by Abhimanyu’s gesture, the elephant seems to be confident with carrying 750-kg Golden Howdah on the Dasara day. Navaratri festivities will commence from October 7, with former Chief Minister S. M. Krishna selected to inaugurate the festival at Chamundi Hill.
District in charge minister S. T. Somashekar took part in the pooja.
The 56-year-old elephant who is also popular as a combing specialist is carrying the Golden Howdah. He carried the wooden howdah weighing 750 kg with sand bags and walked for about 200 metres stretch within the Mysuru Palace precincts.
Earlier Dasara elephants including the howdah elephant were taken on a dry run with wooden howdah mounted on their back, up to Bannimantapa. Now, due to Covid restrictions, the practice is also restricted to palace premises.
Prior to the practice with wooden howdah, traditional pooja was performed on the pulley used to lift the howdah and mount on the elephants. District-in-charge minister S. T. Somashekar, MLA L. Nagendra, MUDA Chairman H. V. Rajiv, Mylac Chairman N. V. Phaneesh, Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman Kote Shivanna, BJP leader U. S. Shekar, DC Bagadi Gautham, Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, Deputy Director of Mysuru Palace Board T. S. Subramanya, DCFs V Karikalan and Kamala Karikalan and other officers were present.
