Weight-Bearing Training Begins for Elephant abhimanyu Ahead of Mysuru Dasara

Preparations for Mysuru dasara are in full swing at Mysuru Palace. The training for the dasara elephants, including the howdah bearer abhimanyu, has commenced. abhimanyu, tasked with carrying a 750 kg golden howdah during the Vijaydashami procession on october 12, recently underwent weight-bearing training.

Accompanied by female elephants lakshmi and Varalakshmi, abhimanyu carried 600 kg of sandbags along the procession route as part of his training. This exercise, which began with a puja at the Mysuru Palace on september 1, covered a distance of 11.9 km from the palace to Bannimantap ground and back, completed in three hours and five minutes.

Abhimanyu, a seasoned elephant, handled the training well. An iron cradle was used to support the sandbags, and special measures were taken to protect his skin, including a leather cover and cushioning made from coconut fiber and hay straw. The training involved walking from the North gate of Mysuru Palace, through KR Circle and Sayyaji Rao Road, to Bannimantap ground, where he rested before the return journey.

The training was marked by a special puja at the Sri Kodi Someswara temple, attended by many spectators. Other male elephants are also being trained as backups. The weight of the sandbags will progressively increase, and abhimanyu will later practice with a wooden howdah to simulate the weight of the golden howdah.
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Balasahana Suresh

03/09/2024 05:08 PM