Mysuru: With the Dasara Gajapayana scheduled to begin in just eight days, the Forest Department has finalised a list of 12 elephants, including four females, to participate in this year’s Mysuru Dasara celebrations.
The elephants will be brought from various forest camps to Mysuru for a 55-day training and preparation programme ahead of the grand Jamboo Savari procession. The Gajapayana will be held on August 26 near the Veeranahosahalli Gate of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
The selection has been carried out following a detailed screening process involving forest officials and veterinarians, with particular attention given to the elephants’ health, behaviour, temperament and fitness.
Abhimanyu and Bheema miss final list
One of the biggest changes this year is the absence of Abhimanyu, the celebrated elephant that carried the golden howdah six times during the Dasara Jamboo Savari.
Abhimanyu has turned 60 this year and will not participate in the festivities this time.
Another familiar name missing from the main contingent is 26-year-old Bheema, who has been participating in Dasara since 2017. Bheema is currently in musth and has therefore not been included in the main group.
However, forest officials have kept Bheema as a reserve elephant at his forest camp. He may be brought in if an emergency arises during the Dasara preparations.
Four elephants shortlisted for golden howdah training
Dhananjaya, Prashantha, Sugreeva and Mahendra have been shortlisted for training to carry the golden howdah this year.
All four elephants have previously undergone training to carry the wooden howdah for at least three years.
Among them, 45-year-old Dhananjaya has participated in Mysuru Dasara for eight years. He was rescued from the Yesaluru range in Hassan district in 2013.
Mahendra, 43, will be participating in Dasara for the fifth year. He has previously carried the wooden howdah during Srirangapatna Dasara and was rescued from Ramanagar in 2018.
Both Dhananjaya and Mahendra have also been involved in operations to rescue tigers and elephants.
Sugreeva, aged 44, will participate in Dasara for the fourth time. He was rescued from Kushalnagar in Kodagu in 2016.
Prashantha, 54, has the longest Dasara experience among the shortlisted howdah candidates. He has participated in the celebrations for 19 years and was rescued from the Kaarekoppa forest range in 1993.
First batch to arrive after Gajapayana
Following the Gajapayana ceremony on August 26, the first batch of elephants will be brought to Mysuru for training.
Dhananjaya, Gopi, Srirama, Sugreeva and Cauvery from the Dubare camp of the Madikeri Wildlife Division will form part of the first batch.
Mahendra and Lakshmi from the Balle camp of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve will also be brought to Mysuru.
Ekalavya from the Matthigodu camp of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve is another elephant included in the first batch.
The second batch will comprise Roopa from the Doddaharave camp of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Chaithra from the Ramapura camp of Bandipur and Srikanta from the Matthigodu camp.
Bheema from Matthigodu and Harsha from Dubare have been kept as reserve elephants.
Extensive health screening conducted
The Forest Department has adopted a detailed screening process before finalising the elephants, particularly in view of safety concerns during the extended Dasara training programme.
The selection involved veterinary screening, behavioural assessment, temperament evaluation and an assessment of age and physical fitness.
Officials also examined musth status and mahout compatibility before finalising the animals.
The health checks included blood tests to assess parameters such as haemoglobin, platelet count, red blood cell count and packed cell volume.
Faecal samples were examined to determine parasite load and assess the overall health of the elephants.
Advanced tests, including electrocardiograms, were also conducted to assess cardiac function. Liver and kidney function tests were carried out as part of the health evaluation.
Female elephants undergo pregnancy checks
Special precautions have been taken for the female elephants included in the contingent.
Apart from blood, urine and faecal tests, female elephants underwent ultrasound scanning to determine whether they were pregnant.
The additional screening is intended to ensure that elephants selected for the demanding Dasara training programme are physically suitable and do not face health risks during their stay in Mysuru.
Officials have also taken into consideration the stress associated with transportation, training and participation in the festivities.
Selection follows multi-stage assessment
The elephants were shortlisted following a rigorous multi-layered process conducted by a team of forest officials and veterinarians led by Mysuru Wildlife Division Deputy Conservator of Forests I B Prabhugowda.
The final list was approved at a meeting of a high-level committee of senior forest officials chaired by Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Chief Wildlife Warden and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Kumar Pushkar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Project Elephant official Manoj Rajan, DCF I B Prabhu Gowda, Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Circle, S S Ravishankar and RFO Yeshma Maachamma participated in the meeting.
Kanjan dropped from Dasara contingent
Kanjan has been dropped from this year’s Dasara elephant contingent following the incident at Dubare in May involving a tussle between Kanjan and Marthanda.
The incident resulted in the death of a tourist and elephant Marthanda.
Officials said Kanjan was excluded in accordance with a government order following the incident.
The decision reflects the increased emphasis on safety while selecting elephants for the high-profile annual event.
Fewer elephants this year
The Forest Department has decided to bring 12 elephants to Mysuru for 55 days this year.
The number is lower than last year, when 14 elephants were brought to the city and kept for 65 days.
Officials have cited the high maintenance cost and safety considerations behind the decision to limit the number and duration of the elephants’ stay.
The elephants will undergo extensive training in Mysuru before the Dasara procession, where the golden howdah carrier will remain the centre of attention.
Dasara preparations gather pace
The arrival of the elephants marks one of the most important stages in preparations for the Mysuru Dasara celebrations.
With Abhimanyu retiring from participation after years of carrying the golden howdah and Bheema remaining in reserve because of musth, attention will turn to the new group of elephants selected for this year.
Dhananjaya, Mahendra, Sugreeva and Prashantha are among those expected to receive focused training for the golden howdah role.
The Forest Department’s extensive health and behavioural assessments, along with the decision to reduce the number of elephants, underline the emphasis being placed on safety and animal welfare this year.
The first major step will be the Gajapayana on August 26, after which the selected elephants will begin their journey towards Mysuru and the intensive training programme leading up to the Jamboo Savari.
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Mysuru Dasara 2026: 12 elephants shortlisted
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Twelve elephants, including four females, have been shortlisted for Mysuru Dasara 2026, while Abhimanyu retires and Bheema remains in reserve.