Mysuru: Floral extravaganza at Mysuru palace to welcome Dasara pachyderms

Mysuru: As many as six floral models of elephants designed with more than 20,000 flowers are all set at the Mysuru palace premises to welcome special guests of Dasara, the five pachyderms to the Mysuru palace courtyards on Friday. Mysuru Palace board has got three floral models of elephants each done, on either side at the gardens of Mysuru Palace premises, near the Jayamarthanda Gate (East Gate) of Mysuru Palace where the elephants will be welcomed with traditional poojas on Friday. In coordination with Assistant Horticulture officer of Mysuru Palace board Ramakrishna, team of six artists led by noted floral artist Umashankar J have come up with these floral structures of elephants.

Speaking to The Hans India, Umashankar said, "These elephants are eight feet tall and five feet length. And they are being designed with asparagus, and more than 20,000 flowers including roses, orchids and chrysanthemum," he said.

53-year-old Umashankar who has done B Com, LLB and Diploma in Journalism is basically an industrialist. He has been a noted floral artist who is known for coming up with several such floral models along with his team of over 70 artists, for over past twenty years. And he has designed several floral models during flower shows at Lalbagh in Bengaluru, famed Dasara flower show of Mysuru, flower show at Raja seat in Madikeri, flower show at Mysuru palace premises during Mysuru winter festival. He is known for several floral models he has designed including 85 feet tall Lalitmahal palace, Sri Jayachamaraja wadiyar sitting on golden throne, Elephant cart and many more.

Also, he is doing floral decoration of Sri Chamundeswari temple at Mysuru Palace, and Ganapathi temple behind Mysuru Palace board, on Mysuru palace premises where poojas will be offered before the elephants are welcomed to Palace courtyards on Friday.

Assistant Horticulture Officer of Mysuru Palace Board Ramakrishna has also got Jayamarthanda Gate of Mysuru Palace (where the elephants will be welcomed) decorated with over 500 flowerpots of over 20 varieties.

While Dasara this year is celebrated in a simple way, in order to ensure the glory is not lost, district administration is taking up all these steps to make the event look beautiful.