The 5 elephants including Abhimanyu that took part in Mysuru Dasara were accorded a warm send-off from the city to their respective jungle camps on Wednesday.
Though 12 elephants take part in Dasara every year, their numbers were reduced as the festival itself was curtailed in view of the pandemic this year.
A priest performed the customary puja for the collective welfare of the elephants and their safe return next year after which Abhimanyu and team were fed with sugarcane and jaggery. After the customary farewell, the elephants were herded to their designated truck which transported them to the jungle camps in Nagarahole.
For Abhimanyu this was a special occasion as he carried the golden howdah with the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari for the first time, the mantle having passed on to him from his predecessor Arjuna. The four elephants that accompanied Abhimanyu included Vikrama, Gopi, Vijaya and Kaveri.
However, the usual crowd of tourists and the local people who would congregate to see off the elephants every year, was missing this year. The imperatives of maintaining social distancing, the restriction on entry to the palace – where the elephants had camped for nearly a fortnight in the run up to Dasara – and the fear of the coronavirus, ensured that people stayed away from the event.
The elephants were brought from Veeranahosahalli on the outskirts of Nagarahole to Mysuru on October 2. Senior Forest Department officials were present on the occasion. On Tuesday, the mahouts and their assistants were given a reception by the local authorities for their role in Dasara and presented with a cheque in appreciation of their services.
