The elite Dasara jumbo squad that is all set to enter Mysuru soon for the grand Dasara festivities this year comprises three new elephants that are part of the 14-member jumbo contingent.
The Dasara elephants’ squad is led by the tall tusker Abhimanyu which is the lead elephant that carries the golden howdah on the day of Jamboo Savari.
Arjuna, which was retired from the task of carrying the golden howdah, and Vijaya are the oldest members of the squad. Both are 63 years of age. The squad comprises jumbos aged between 18 years and 63 years.
Mahendra is making its debut as Dasara jumbo this year. The 39-year-old tusker is from the Matthigodu elephant camp in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
Srirama, aged 40, from Dubare camp in Kodagu is also making its first appearance in the festivities.
Parthasarathi is the youngest jumbo in the squad as the 18-year-old male is from Ramapura elephant camp in Bandipur tiger reserve. It is the maiden appearance of Parthasarathi in the Dasara celebrations this year.
All 14 elephants belong to Matthigodu, Balle, Dubare, and Ramapura elephant camps.
Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife division, Mr. V. Karikalan told The Hindu that out of 110 elephants housed in about eight elephant camps across Karnataka, 30 were shortlisted and 14 were finalised for the Dasara tasks. The elephants were chosen based on various parameters. After the health screening of 30 jumbos, 14 were finalised and the list was approved by the Chief Wildlife Warden, he said.
The ‘Gajapayana’ of elephants will be flagged off at Veeranahosahalli Gate, Dodda Hejjur, in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve on Sunday. The flagging off of the elephants will take place between 9:01 a.m. and 9:35 a.m.
Minister in-charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar will flag off the ‘Gajapayana’ in the presence of Forest Minister Umesh Katti. H.P. Manjunath, Hunsur MLA, will preside.
Meanwhile, arrangements for the elephants, their accompanying mahouts and kavadis and their family members are being done on the palace premises here.
“All arrangements are in place. Once the jumbos arrive in Mysuru in trucks after the formal launch of Gajapayana, they would remain in Aranya Bhavan here and enter the palace premises only on August 10 in a formal ceremony,” Mr. Karikalan said.
