It’s Dasara season and the jumbos are back in Mysuru

Dasara is around the corner and the elephants are back in the Mysuru from various jungle camps, gearing up for the festivities that commence from October 3.

Led by the “perfectionist” tusker Abhimanyu, which has been leading the Dasara jumbo squad, performing the tasks of carrying the 750-kilo golden howdah with finesse and ease during the finale of the celebrations, the elephants are being trained for the big day, with the forest officials and their caretakers monitoring their preparation and well-being. Veterinarians closely monitor their health.

Tusker Ekalavya is making its Dasara debut in Mysuru this year.
| Photo Credit:
M A Sriram

The elephants are the star attraction of the Nada Habba, and tourists come to watch these gentle giants that make the celebrations awe-inspiring. Their arrival in Mysuru signals the countdown to Dasara.

Nine elephants headed by Abhimanyu arrived in August as a part of Gajapayana from Veeranahosahalli on the outskirts of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve and the second batch of five elephants joined the team early this month and all of them are undergoing Dasara drills. The elephants are camping on the palace premises, rehearsing for the Vijayadashami procession. Their caretakers, including the mahouts, kavadis and their family members are also camping alongside them. All of them leave after the Dasara finale.

The caparisoned elephants got a ceremonial reception when they stepped into the palace premises. The ambience was festive and cultural troupes made the occasion impressive. Tourists thronged the palace vicinity to get the glimpse of the jumbos.

Forest staff ensure the Dasara elephants are not disrtracted during their routine “taleem” on the streets of Mysuru. Picture shows jumbos on the Sayyaji Rao Road, moving towards Bannimantap, the final destination of the Dasara procession.
| Photo Credit:
M A Sriram

The 14-member squad

Abhimanyu (58), Dhananjaya (33), Mahendra (41), Bheema (24), Gopi (42), Prashantha (51), Sugreeva (42), Kanjan (25), Rohit (22), Ekalavya (39), Varalakshmi (68), Lakshmi (23), Doddaharave Lakshmi (53), and Hiranya (47) are the elephants jumbos camping in Mysuru. After going through the profile of the elephants from various camps, the Forest Department shortlisted 18 elephants, and 14 were chosen for the festivities.

Among the 14 elephants, Varalakshmi of Bheemanakatte camp is the oldest. Standing 2.36 meters tall, the female elephant is 68 years old. She has been a part of the Dasara squad for many years. The youngest in the jumbo team is Rohit from Ramapura camp. The 2.70-foot-tall Rohit is aged 22 years.

While five elephants are from Dubare camp, four are from Mattigodu camp, three from Ramapura camp, one each from Bheemakatte and Doddaharave camps. Prashanth is the tallest among all the Dasara elephants. The 51-year-old tusker from Dubare camp in Kodagu is three meters tall. This will be the first Dasara for Ekalavya, who is from Mattigodu camp.

Abhimanyu is the lead elephant of Dasara jumbo squad and this tall tusker carries the 750-kilo golden howdah during the famed Jamboo Savari.
| Photo Credit:
M A Sriram

What they weigh

On arrival, the weight of jumbos was checked. Abhimanyu weighed around 5,000 kilos. Gopi weighed between 4,900 kilos and 5,000 kilos. Sugreeva weighed between 4,800 kilos and 5,000 kilos. The lightweight among the jumbos is Lakshmi, who weighed between 2.400 kilos and 2,500 kilos, followed by Hiranya, who weighed between 2,800 kilos and 3,000 kilos. Their weight is also checked when they leave for their respective camps after Dasara.

Elephants relaxing on the premises of Mysuru Palace where they have been camping since their arrival from their jungle camps.
| Photo Credit:
M A Sriram

The elephants, their mahouts and kavadis have been insured. Besides, forest officials and the staff who are associated with the management and training of elephants are also covered under the insurance. Deputy Conservator of Forest (Mysuru wildlife division) Prabhu Gowda said all 14 elephants, including four on standby, have been insured for a sum of ₹50 lakh. The total insured sum of elephants, mahouts, kavadis, their families, forest officials and staff is around ₹2.5 crore Damage to public property is also covered under the insurance as a precautionary measure. A premium of ₹71,000 has been paid for the policy.

People throng the procession route in Mysuru to watch the Dasara elephants led by Abhimanyu when they come out of the palace for their routine rehearsal for the Dasara finale.
| Photo Credit:
M A Sriram

Traffic movement on the roads come to a standstill when the gentle giants set out on the streets for the practice drill. The police and the forest department ensure the jumbos remain calm. Prior to Jamboo Savari, the lead elephant undergoes weight carrying training with sandbags and a wooden replica of the howdah having the same mass as Ambari on its back as a part of rehearsal for the big day. Other tuskers in the squad also carry out these tasks as standby.

Forest department staff and jumbo caretakers ensure the Dasara elephants get nutrition-rich diet during their stay in Mysuru.
| Photo Credit:
M A Sriram

Abhimanyu, the all-rounder

Abhimanyu is considered an “all-rounder” because of his expertise in tracking a target jumbo. The tusker subdues wild elephants with ease. Abhimanyu is best known for his astuteness in the operations for capturing elephants and aged and injured wild tigers straying out of forests. Abhimanyu has been a part of the operations that captured 140-150 wild elephants and 40-50 tigers over the years.

The 58-year-old Abhimanyu has an experience of over two decades as a Dasara jumbo, when it became a part of the elite squad in 2012. Vasantha J.S. is its mahout and Raju J.K. is the kavadi.