Dasara preparations begin with grand Gajapayana event in Mysuru

Mysuru: The preparations for this year's world famous Mysuru Dasara was heralded with grand Dasara Gajapayana event near Veeranahosalli check post of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district on Wednesday.

Amid festive ambience prime attraction of this year's Dasara, the first batch of nine caparisoned elephants began their journey to Mysuru for training for Jamboo Savari procession at the event.

Amid the tunes of Mangalavaadya, Minister for Forest Ecology and Environment Eeshwar Khandre, and Dasara Executive chairperson and Mysuru district in-charge minister Dr H C Mahadevappa offered puja at auspicious Tula lagna at 10.31am.

They fed the elephants banana, jaggery, sugarcane, chakkali, puri unde, karji kaayi, kajjaaya and other eateries.

Minister K Venkatesh, Hunsur MLA Harish Gowda, MP Sunil Bose, officials of forest department and Mysuru district administration led by Mysuru DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy, Mysuru ZP CEO K M Gayathri joined them.

Led by Abhimanyu who has carried golden howdah in Dasara Jumbo Savari procession for four years, other male elephants Dhananjaya, Gopi, Bheema, Rohit, Kanjan, a new elephant Ekalavya; female elephants Varalakshmi and Lakshmi flanked their trunks as the guests offered floral obeisance to them.

They marched majestically in the procession from Veeranahosalli check post gate to the venue of the stage event. The procession featured performance of 60 artists of four cultural folk art troupes including Veeragaase, Pooja Kunitha, Kamsaale, Chandemela.

Minister Mahadevappa said, "With good rains, we are celebrating this year's Dasara grandly. Political developments will not have any impact on Dasara. AICC and all 135 MLAs are supporting Siddaramaiah. He will continue as CM."

"Right man and his dignity are compared to Elephant. People have given their mandate against BJP's corruption and maladministration. Dasara is the reflection of our development, Heritage, Culture, music, literature of the land. Forgeting party differences all the political parties and people from all cross sections should join hands in celebrating Dasara together. We should remember that our existence of man depends on conservation of nature and ecological balance," he said.

Minister Khandre said, "Elephants are prime attraction of Dasara. Abhimanyu will carry Golden Howdah this year too. Arjuna who carried golden howdah for many years and as Nishaane Elephant last year and has died last year; he will be missed."

"There is proposal to establish a memorial (Statue of Arjuna) at Dasara exhibition ground too apart from two other memoriale at the place which died and at its camp. Earlier during the reign of Maharajas Dasara Elephants were offered pooja near Maasthigudi in HD Kote taluk. Later Elephants walked till Mysuru and people from villages offered them fruits. But now Elephants are carried in lorries to Mysuru after Gajapayana event."

"At a time when we are witnessing rise in Environment temperature and in wake of Wyanad landslides, we need to protect our western ghats and environment for our future. In order to reduce man animal conflicts and deaths we are trying to find reasons for this and coming up with SOP with zero tolerence and deaths. We are already building rail barricades and we need Rs 500 Crore more to build it for 250 to 300km at NTR forest fringes besides building solar fencing. We will discuss with local MLAs, tribal leaders, officers to provide basic facilities for nearby tribal hamlets" he said.

MLA H D Kote said that he has appealed the Chief Minister to install award in the name of Dasara Elephant Arjuna.

The stage event began by offering tribute to Arjuna. Children from Girijana Ashrama Shaale of Nagapura tribal hamlet and nearby Tibetan settlements performed. Dasara mahouts and Kavadis were honoured on the occasion and were formally invited with thamboola for successful Dasara.

Prior to the event, special poojas were offered at Veeranjaneyaswamy temple at Veeranahosalli. The elephants will reach Aranyabhavan premises by Wednesday evening.

Prashantha, Mahendra, Sugreeva, Doddaharave Lakshmi and Hiranya will arrive in second batch. Harsha, Parthasarathi, Aiyappa and Malaadevi would be kept as reserve elephants.

APCCF Kumar Pushkar, Chief Conservator of Forest (Mysuru Circle) Malathi Priya, Conservator of Forest (Project Tiger) P Ramesh Kumar, DCF Mysuru Division (Wildlife), I B Prabhugowda, DCF (Mysuru Territorial Division) K N Basavaraju, ACF Lakshmikanth, DCF NTR Seema,DIG Southern Range Borelingaiah, ADC Shivaraju were present. MUDA Chairman Marigowda, President of Doddahejjuru Gram Panchayat, Ambika Lokesh, Gram Panchayat members and elected representatives, officials participated.

Over 5,000 people from nearby villages witnessed the event.