The training of elephants for Shivamogga Dasara celebrations has begun at Sakrebail elephant camp near here. Three elephants from the camp will take part in the procession held to mark the festival celebrations.
Sagar, a tusker aged about 38 years, and female elephants Nethravathi, 25, and Hemavathi, 9, will take part in the procession. The mahouts and kavadigas have begun training the elephants for the procession.
During the training period, the elephants are made to carry sandbags. At present, the elephants are being taken out on the Shivamogga-Thirthahalli road near Sakrebailu for training.
Earlier, Forest Department officials from Mysuru wanted two elephants from Sakrebail camp to take part in Dasara celebrations in Mysuru. They had chosen Nethravathi, a female elephant, as one of them. However, later, the officers decided not to send elephants from the camp to Mysuru as the elephants were required for the celebrations in Shivamogga.
