Five elephants have been sought for the Srirangapatna Dasara that is being celebrated this year over five days starting September 28. A letter in this regard has reached the Forest Department, which has now sought approval from the Chief Wildlife Warden.
Permission has to be sought from the Karnataka Government for the use of elephants for Dasara.
“I have communicated the request for five elephants to the Chief Wildlife Warden. If approval is granted, arrangements will be made for sending the elephants for the Srirangapatna Dasara. It is difficult to send five elephants, but a male and two female elephants can be considered for the event subject to permission from the government,” said Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) V. Karikalan.
Among the male elephants, Mahendra is the front-runner to participate as the lead elephant in the procession that is taken out as part of the Srirangapatna Dasara. “Mahendra has been successfully carrying the weight of the howdah and is suitable for the Dasara procession in which a wooden replica of the golden howdah (in Mysuru) is used in Srirangapatna. The elephants have been sought on September 28 and 29,” the DCF said.
Along with the elephants, nearly 25 staff of the department and support staff will accompany the jumbos. The wooden replica of the howdah, that is used during the weight training rehearsals, is carried from Mysuru for the Srirangapatna Dasara procession, he said.
This year’s Srirangapatna Dasara will be a grand affair as five days of celebrations have been planned from September 28. Like in Mysuru, sub-committees have been constituted for organising events like Raitha Dasara, Yoga Dasara, Dasara Sports, Makkala Dasara, Mahila Dasara and Udyoga Dasara. A sum of ₹1 crore has been set aside for the Srirangapatna Dasara.
