Latest news with #Gajapayana
Deccan Herald
11-08-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
Bheema is the 'heavyweight' at Dasara jumbo, Abhimanyu second
Mysuru: The first batch of nine Dasara elephants were taken out in a procession to the lorry weighing bridge station, for weight checking on Monday. Jumbo Bheema weighed the highest at 5,465 kg, followed by Abhimanyu, who has carried the golden howdah for five years, with 5,360 kg. The Forest department checks the weight of the jumbos once they come from the forest camps, before beginning their training, to understand the kind of diet to be provided to each elephant. The special diet will begin from Tuesday (August 11), along with training, according to DCF (wildlife) I B Prabhu Gowda. .People enthralled to see Dasara elephants taken in procession from Aranya Bhavan to Mysuru is said that this is for the first time in the recent past that the Dasara jumbos had to stay for long on the premises of the Aranya Bhavan, after they arrived at the heritage city of Mysuru. The pachyderms arrived at Mysuru after the Gajapayana event at Veeranahosahalli, Hunsur taluk, on August 4. They are usually sent to Mysuru Palace, after a couple of days. However, this year, due to some reasons, the jumbos were sent from Aranya Bhavan on August 10, after their stay for six days. However, they were made to walk around 500 metres on Aranaya Bhavan premises, twice a day, as a warm up Dasara jumbos usually used to arrive in Mysuru around 50 to 60 days before Dasara inauguration. However, this year, the Dasara inauguration is on September 22, and the jumbos have just around 42 days for various checkThe nine jumbos were brought to Sairam Electronic Weigh Bridge by walk from the Palace on Monday morning and their weight was the day the pachyderms arrived in Mysuru, they have been attracting a large number of people, who are awestruck by their majestic march on the roads of the heritage city. Monday also, people stopped to have a glimpse of the jumbos, taking pictures and selfies, and recording video. The jumbos walked for three kilometres from the Palace to the weighbridge on Dhanvantri Road. Several vendors offered strings of flowers and tulsi for the jumbos, and the mahouts responded by decorating the jumbos with who was in top of the list in weight checking during last year's Dasara, was 5,360 kg. However, it was the Bheema that weighed the highest this year, with 5,465 who has been participating in the Dasara for the last nine years, is in the third place with 5,310 kg. He was followed by Ekalavya at 5,305 kg, Mahendra at 5,210 kg, Prashantha at 5,110 kg, and Kanjan at 4,880 kg. The she elephants Lakshmi weighed 3,730 kg and Kaveri 3,010 to DCF I B Prabhu Gowda, all jumbos are healthy, and the authorities would begin providing nutritious food to the jumbos based on their weight. It would be discussed with the veterinarian and experts and the diet started immediately. Among the seven male elephants, six jumbos have crossed 5,000 kg, he said.
Time of India
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Dasara elephants receive grand welcome at Palace
1 2 Mysuru: The first batch of nine Dasara elephants, led by the majestic howdah elephant Abhimanyu, was accorded a grand welcome by district minister HC Mahadevappa at the Jayamarthanda Gate of Mysuru Palace on Sunday. To mark the occasion, the palace illumination began at 6.50pm— ten minutes earlier than the usual 7pm schedule—casting a golden glow over the celebrations. The elephants, which were housed at Aranya Bhavan since Aug 4 after the ceremonial Gajapayana at Veeranahosahalli, began their journey at 3.30 pm. They reached the palace premises by 5.30 pm, but awaited the formal entry until 6.45 pm, when they received a traditional welcome. Quashing opposition claims, minister Mahadevappa said, "Not only this Dasara, but the next three Dasara editions will be inaugurated by CM Siddaramaiah ." He announced that over Rs 45 crore will be spent this year—up from Rs 40 crore last year—to ensure a more spectacular celebration. Online ticket sales will begin three to four weeks in advance, and the palace will remain illuminated for 21 days. CESC has been instructed to enhance the grandeur of the lighting, he said. Amid the celebrations, a gaffe by the Mysuru Palace Board amused visitors. A large welcome banner displayed photos of elephants Gopi, Rohith, and Varalakshmi—none of whom were part of Sunday's procession—while omitting actual participants Kaveri, Mahendra, and Prashantha. 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.
The Hindu
10-08-2025
- The Hindu
Dasara elephants march into Mysuru palace in twilight spectacle
The first batch of nine caparisoned elephants led by the majestic tusker Abhimanyu marched into the Mysuru palace marking a twilight spectacle witnessed by hundreds of people despite drizzle and rain, late on Sunday evening. The elephants were camping at Aranya Bhavan since August 4, after the ceremonial 'Gajapayana' at Veeranahosahalli near Nagarahole. The date for their formal welcome and reception at the palace was fixed for August 10,hence the elephants were at their ceremonial best draped in shiny trappings. On Sunday afternoon, Abhimanyu and company were accorded ceremonial send-off from the Aranya Bhavan complete with traditional rituals and floral offerings. There were cultural troupes and ensemble of traditional musicians who were part of the retinue. Accompanying tusker Abhimanyu — who is slated to carry the golden howdah on the day of the Vijayadashmi procession — were elephants Dhananjaya, Bhima, Kanjan, Ekalavya, Prashanth, Kaveri, Balle Lakshmi and Mahendra The elephants marched from Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram to Jayamartanda Gate, and were the cynosure of all eyes all along the procession route. Traffic came to a standstill as people lined up on both the sides of the road and cheered the marching elephants. Accompanied by their respective mahouts and kavadis or assistants, the elephants were a picture of majesty as they marched towards the palace gate and made a grand entry around 6 p.m. Enroute, there was heavy rain but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the public while the elephants remained nonchalant about it. At the Jayamartanda Gate, elected representatives, officials, and priests received Abhimanyu and company. Being Sunday, there was rush at the palace grounds with locals and tourists alike gathering in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the Dasara elephants. District in charge minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Animal Husbandry Venkatesh, MLAs T.S. Srivatsa and G.T. Deve Gowda, deputy commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Commissioner of Police Seema Latkar, Deputy Conservator of Forest Prabhugoud and others were present. The elephants will rest for a day or two after which they will be subjected to daily rehearsal along the procession route from the palace to Bannimantap grounds. In due course, the second batch of another five elephants will join them in preparation for the Dasara celebrations. The arrival of Abhimanyu and his team also signals the countdown to Dasara and the palace ground will be a beehive of activity till the conclusion of the festivities.
The Hindu
07-08-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Dasara elephants to be welcomed onto Mysuru Palace premises on August 10
Dasara elephants, led by Abhimanyu — the Ambari elephant — that arrived in Mysuru on Monday following the grand 'Gajapayana' event near Nagarahole forests, will be formally welcomed onto the Mysuru Palace premises on Sunday, August 10. Earlier, the district administration had planned to welcome the jumbos into the Palace on August 7, Thursday, but the event was rescheduled and is now fixed for August 10. The elephants will be traditionally welcomed into the palace premises, which will be their abode until the festivities get over, between 6.45 p.m. and 7.20 p.m. at the Jayamarthanda Gate of the Palace. Along with elephants, mahouts, kavadis, and their family members will be camping on the Palace premises looking after the elephants. Minister in charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa will be present along with elected representatives from the district and senior officials. All nine elephants that arrived as part of the first batch after the 'Gajapayana' event at Veeranahosahalli near Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, are camping on the Aranya Bhavan campus along with their mahouts and kavadis. Each elephant was transported in trucks after the symbolic event. A large number of people gathered to watch the elephants during the 'Gajapayana', and people in Mysuru are also flocking to the Aranya Bhavan to get a glimpse of Abhimanyu and its team.
Deccan Herald
06-08-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
After Gajapayana, Dasara elephants bathe and enjoy good food at Mysuru's Aranya Bhavan
After the hectic Gajapayana on Monday, bracing the huge crowd that crossed 10,000 people, the Dasara jumbos were in a relaxing mood at the Aranya Bhavan in Mysuru on nine jumbos that participated in Gajapayana at Veeranahosahalli of Hunsur taluk were brought in trucks to the Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram of the city on Monday evening. It was the first day of the pachyderms' stay in Mysuru for this year's Dasara, and they were given a soothing bath and good food. They remained playful throughout the batchAll elephants in the first batch - Abhimanyu, who has carried the golden howdah five times, Bheema, Mahendra, Prashantha, Dhananjaya, Ekalavya, Kanjan, Lakshmi and Kaveri - have been housed at the Aranya Bhavan. They will stay here for a few days, after which they will be sent to the Mysuru Palace, where they will be housed till Vijayadashami, the Jamboo Savari day, the last leg of Dasara people are coming in large numbers to the Aranya Bhavan to have a glimpse of the jumbos that will be participating in the famed Dasara the Forest department has taken all security measures and has erected barricades to prevent people from going near the Dasara elephants from various forest camps arrive at Aranya Bhavan in a relaxed moodI B Prabhu Gowda, DCF (Wildlife), Mysuru division, said that the jumbos were in a relaxed mood on the first day of their stay in Mysuru on Tuesday. Expressing happiness over the smooth Gajapayana event at Veeranahosahalli, under the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve on Monday, he said that more than 7,000 people took part in it and the procession looked like a mini Dasara. The jumbos too behaved well and did not react negatively to the jumbos were subjected to all kinds of medical examinations before coming to Mysuru, like blood test, liver, kidney and heart condition, and all are the nine jumbos in the first batch are experienced. Their behaviour has changed and they should have realised that they have come to participate in the Dasara festivities. They are all friendly and relaxed and there is no problem, he jumbos are being fed with fodder, grass, paddy and hay at the Aranya Bhavan. The special nutritious diet will begin once they reach Mysuru Palace, he date givenThe tentative date given is August 10. It is said that the jumbos are likely to reach the Mysuru Palace and will be given a traditional welcome at the Jayamarthanda Gate, between the auspicious time 6.40 pm and 7.20 pm on August 10. It will be the first time that the jumbos are being welcomed to the Palace in the second batch of Dasara jumbos - Gopi, Sugreeva, Srikanta, Roopa and Hemavathi - will reach Mysuru in a few weeks. They will be trained for Dasara. The Dasara will be inaugurated atop the Chamundi Hill on September 22, while the Jamboo Savari will be held on Vijayadashami, on October 2.
