Mysuru Dasara 2024: Weight-bearing Training For Elephant Abhimanyu Starts

The preparation for Mysuru Dasara is underway at Mysuru Palace. After a week-long training of nine Dasara elephants with the Jamboo Savari procession, the weight-bearing training has started for howdah bearer Abhimanyu. He will be carrying a weight equivalent to 750 kg of golden howdah during the Vijaydashami procession on October 12.

Accompanied by female elephants Lakshmi and Varalkshmi, Captain Abhimanyu carried 600 kg sandbags on the procession route as a part of his training. It started after a small puja at Mysuru Placae premises on Sunday, September 1. Abhimanyu covered a total distance of 11.9 km from Palace to Bannimantap ground and back in three hours and five minutes, said DCF (wildlife), Mysuru division, I B Prabhugowda.

Abhimanyu, a veteran. completed the training with ease. An iron cradle was built and sandbags of around 600 kg were placed on Abhimanyu before the weight-bearing exercise was started. DCF I B Prabhugowda said that a special team comprising Rangaraju, Akram, Rehan, Murthy, Swamy and others placed a leather cover over Abhimanyu to ensure that the weight doesn’t affect its skin. A cushion of Namda (made of coconut fibre) Gaadi (made of hay straw), and Chaapu (made of coconut fibre, which is thinner and smaller in size to match the size of howdah) was placed.

As per the Deccan Herald, RFO Santhosh Hoogar said that Abhimanyu started its training from the North gate of Mysuru Palace and passed through KR Circle, Sayyaji Rao road and reached Bannimantap ground in one hour twenty minutes. The sandbags were removed at Bannimantap and Abhimanyu rested for 20 minutes before walking back to the palace premises in one hour and 15 minutes.

In front of the Sri Kodi Someswara temple in the palace premises, along with Abhimanyu on the left, female elephants Lakshmi and Varalakshmi performed special puja traditionally. People also gathered in large numbers to watch the captain’s training. The DCF officials are also training other male elephants as standby elephants to carry weight in case of emergency. The weight of the sandbags will gradually increase. Later, Abhimanyu will be trained to carry a wooden howdah with weight equivalent to a golden Howdah.