Mysore Dasara elephants treated to royal hospitality at palace, special kitchen set up
Currently, 14 elephants have been enlisted for the celebrations, led by the seasoned Captain Abhimanyu, who will once again carry the Ambari during the Vijayadashami procession. To ensure their health and strength, a dedicated kitchen has been established within the palace premises. A team of cooks is working round the clock to prepare nutritious meals, costing the state exchequer an estimated ₹55–60 lakh for the season.
According to officials, each elephant is fed twice daily after their rigorous morning and evening training sessions. The forest department has designed a special diet aimed at increasing their stamina and body weight.
Their meals include an assortment of grains such as green gram, along with cooked vegetables like cucumber, radish, carrot, and beetroot, which are rolled into large, ball-shaped portions for easier feeding.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. Prabhugowda told TV9 that the daily intake varies according to the elephant's size and gender. 'We provide about 750 kg of food to a male elephant and around 450 kg to a female elephant each day.
Currently, nine elephants have arrived at the palace, while five more will join shortly from the forest camps,' he explained.
Among the herd, 25-year-old Bhima has earned the title of 'Tindipota' (glutton) for his voracious appetite. Officials note that despite being served 750 kg of food, Bhima always demands more, making him a favorite among caretakers and visitors alike.
In addition to cooked meals, the elephants are provided with sugarcane, green grass, and paddy straw to ensure a balanced diet.
With such royal care, the mighty jumbos are being groomed not only as a spectacle of tradition but also as symbols of Karnataka's cultural pride, ready to mesmerize lakhs of spectators during the iconic Jamboo Savari.
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Hans India
2 days ago
- Hans India
Mysore Dasara elephants treated to royal hospitality at palace, special kitchen set up
Mysuru: With the countdown to the world-famous Mysuru Dasara Mahotsav underway, preparations for the grand Jamboo Savari have reached full swing. Central to this historic spectacle are the elephants that carry the golden Ambari, and this year too, the Dasara Gajapade is being accorded royal treatment at the Mysore Palace. Currently, 14 elephants have been enlisted for the celebrations, led by the seasoned Captain Abhimanyu, who will once again carry the Ambari during the Vijayadashami procession. To ensure their health and strength, a dedicated kitchen has been established within the palace premises. A team of cooks is working round the clock to prepare nutritious meals, costing the state exchequer an estimated ₹55–60 lakh for the season. According to officials, each elephant is fed twice daily after their rigorous morning and evening training sessions. The forest department has designed a special diet aimed at increasing their stamina and body weight. Their meals include an assortment of grains such as green gram, along with cooked vegetables like cucumber, radish, carrot, and beetroot, which are rolled into large, ball-shaped portions for easier feeding. Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. Prabhugowda told TV9 that the daily intake varies according to the elephant's size and gender. 'We provide about 750 kg of food to a male elephant and around 450 kg to a female elephant each day. Currently, nine elephants have arrived at the palace, while five more will join shortly from the forest camps,' he explained. Among the herd, 25-year-old Bhima has earned the title of 'Tindipota' (glutton) for his voracious appetite. Officials note that despite being served 750 kg of food, Bhima always demands more, making him a favorite among caretakers and visitors alike. In addition to cooked meals, the elephants are provided with sugarcane, green grass, and paddy straw to ensure a balanced diet. With such royal care, the mighty jumbos are being groomed not only as a spectacle of tradition but also as symbols of Karnataka's cultural pride, ready to mesmerize lakhs of spectators during the iconic Jamboo Savari.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Dasara elephants on special diet as rehearsals gather pace
The first batch of nine elephants rehearsing for the famed Mysuru Dasara celebrations are going through their annual regimen of rigorous training and a carefully planned diet to be fit for the Vijayadashami procession slated for October 2, 2025. Led by Abhimanyu, the nine elephants are camping on the palace grounds, accompanied by their respective mahouts and kavadis or assistants. The elephants walk daily from the palace to the Bannimantap grounds — the terminal point of the Dasara procession — covering a little more than 5 km in the process. Their return march adds up to an additional 5 km, thereby clocking 10 km daily. Besides, they will be joined by the second batch of another five elephants next week, and will be subjected to carrying sandbags weighing nearly 500 kg to start with, which will gradually be increased to reach a maximum of about 1,000 to 1,200 kg. This is to make the lead elephant Abhimanyu acclimatise to carrying the golden howdah, which weighs around 750 kg, apart from the weight of the mahout. Similar 'weight training' will be imparted to a couple of other male elephants, so that they can step into the responsibility of carrying the howdah in case of any exigency. To ensure that the elephants remain fit, they are provided with a special diet which is carefully prepared and meets the nutritional requirements of the gentle giants. Prabhu Gowda, Deputy Conservator of Forest, said that each male elephant requires about 750 kg of food, while female elephants consume about 550 kg to 600 kg of food. This includes branch fodder weighing 450 kg to 500 kg per elephant, 175 kg to 200 kg of green grass, and 20 to 25 kg of paddy or wheat. This is in addition to a concentrated special diet of 10 kg to 12 kg per elephant per day. The concentrated special diet comprises of green gram, horse gram, black gram, boiled rice, vegetables, etc., said Mr. Gowda. While the quantity varies for male and female elephants, the content is the same, he added. Veterinary doctors and forest officials supervising the regimen said the food is designed to provide adequate calories to match the exercise schedule of the jumbos, while preventing fat accumulation. The second batch of elephants include a few who are relatively new to the spectacle, and they will undergo similar training and diet control, with a detailed dietary chart already been prepared, they said. Unlike in the past, butter has been withdrawn from their diet, but horse gram (hurali) and finger millet (ragi) have been included. This is apart from sugarcane, jaggery, and coconuts that are provided to supplement the rice balls, said Mr. Gowda. 'The idea is to give them a balanced nutrition with strength-building components,' an official explained. The rehearsal has been smooth so far and the practice of making the elephants walk from the palace to Bannimantap grounds is to familiarise them with the procession route. In addition, the elephants will also get used to the sight and sound of humans, apart from the cacophony. In the weeks leading to the Vijayadashami procession, training will be as crucial as the special diet, ensuring the elephants are physically and temperamentally ready for the royal march.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Dasara elephants lead Har Ghar Tiranga march in Mysuru
1 2 3 Mysuru: As part of the Independence Day celebrations , the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the forest department organised a special Har Ghar Tiranga march, featuring eight majestic Dasara elephants led by the howdah elephant Abhimanyu on Thursday. Each elephant carried the tricolour in its trunk, sending out a powerful message of patriotism. The unique rally, held in front of the Anjaneya Swamy Temple near the Mysore Palace North Gate, was themed 'Tricolour in Every Home, Cleanliness in Every Home'. Alongside Abhimanyu, the elephant team comprised Prashanth, Ekalavya, Dhananjaya, Kanjan, Kaveri, Lakshmi, Mahendra, and Bheema. Waving the tricolour, they marched a short stretch, drawing the admiration of onlookers. From the temple frontage, mahouts seated atop the elephants carried flags up to the KR Hospital Circle before returning to the palace premises, marking the rally's conclusion. MCC staff, forest department personnel, police officers, and members of the public joined the procession, proudly holding the national flag. Throughout the march, people who were with the elephants, including MCC staff, raised slogans promoting patriotism and hygiene, urging citizens to join hands in keeping Mysuru clean. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
