JOIN USDasara: Forest dept begins preparations for Gajapayana
With less than three months left for Nada Habba Dasara, the Forest department has launched preparations for Gajapayana, the first leg of the annual event. Navaratri will unfold in the fag end of September and Jamboo Savari, the last leg of Dasara, is scheduled to be held on October 4.
DCF (Wildlife), Mysore circle, K Kamala told Deccan Herald that the department was already in the middle of preparations, and tenders had been floated for various works. Preparations are on for ferrying the first batch of six elephants from Veeranahosahalli forest in Nagarahole National Park Hunsur taluk, the venue of Gajapayana to Aranya Bhavan in the city; making temporary accommodations and food arrangements for the mahouts and their families who will be camping on the premises of Mysore Palace.
14 elephants
Like the previous year, 14 elephants will be participating in the biggest event of the year this time too, including howdah carrier Arjuna and howdah veteran Balarama. To ensure the health of the elephants, veterinarian Dr Nagaraj who is in-charge of Dasara jumbos every year has been asked to prepare a report on the same, Kamala added.
The elephants belong to different camps like Balle in Nagarahole National Park (Arjuna), Thitimathi in Mathigodu forest (Balarama, Abhimanyu, Sarala, Varalakshmi, Mary and Gopalaswamy), Dubare in Kodagu district (Harsha, Vikrama, Vijaya, Gopi and Prashanth and K Gudi); and Chamarajanagar (Gajendra and Srirama).
The preparations assume significance as Dasara High Power Committee meeting is scheduled on July 19 in Bangalore. Only after the outcome of the meeting, a tentative date will be fixed in the first week of August for Gajapayana, the officer said.Veterinarian Nagaraj said that as of now, majority of the elephants were found healthy.
Extra care
Nagaraj said that unlike previous years ahead of Dasara, the health conditions of elephants assumes more significance this time around, as a majority of the elephants have borne the strain in the operation to capture rogue elephants in Alur, in Hassan district. In the operation that lasted three months from February, the assistance of Arjuna, Balarama, Abhimanyu, Gajendra, Srirama and Harsha was extensive.
A total of 24 to 25 elephants were captured during the operation. Once the elephants are brought to city, they will be provided with additional care to ready them for the annual exercise, he added.