Famous Gajapayana trumpets Mysuru Dasara celebrations

Mysuru: The famous Gajapayana (elephants' march), which heralds the Dasara celebrations in Mysuru, commenced its journey on Wednesday from Veeranahosahalli near the Nagarahole forest check-post in Hunsur.

The five main elephants, including Abhimanyu, Vijaya, Cauvery, Vikrama and Gopi are being brought from forests to Mysuru for the 'Gajapayana' event which has been restricted to traditional poojas only. There will no formal stage event. The elephants will be brought in trucks to Aranya Bhavan in Mysuru on Thursday. All the five caparisoned pachyderms, led by Abhimanyu, will be accorded a grand welcome at the Jayamarthanda Gate (East) of Mysuru Palace with traditional poojas on Thursday. Pooja ceremonies will be performed between 10am and 11am. After, the welcome event, pachyderms and their caretakers will stay at Mysuru Palace courtyards till the end of Dasara celebrations.

The Mysuru Palace board will erect 12 tents for mahouts, kavadis and cooks to prepare food for elephants and forest department staff. The elephants will be trained for 'Jumbo Savari' procession will be held within the palace premises on October 26. Abhimanyu will carry the 750 golden howdah with the idol of Goddess Chamundeswari. Mahouts and kavadis will have to go through Covid tests.

In a departure from tradition due to the pandemic impact, mahouts have been asked not to bring their family members and children. Meanwhile, as many as six floral models of elephants designed with more than 20,000 flowers are getting set at the Mysuru Palace premises to welcome special guests and the five pachyderms.