Dasara jumbos walk with 300 kg on their back

NT Correspondent

Mysuru

Nine Dasara jumbos walked with sand bags weighing 300 kg on their back from Mysuru Palace up to Bannimantap Ground in Mysuru as part of the rehearsal for the coming Dasara festival on Thursday. Led by howdah-carrying elephant, Abhimanyu, the jumbos were loaded with the sand bags from a specially created iron scaffolding near the make-shift elephant camp inside the palace premises. This ceremony is called ‘Namdha Khadhi’.

Before loading the bags on each elephant, a special puja was performed at Sri Kodi Someshwara temple situated inside the palace.

The jumbos walked on the procession route accompanied by Forest Department officials, police, mahouts and kavadis. It took them around one hour to reach Bannimantap g round. They returned to the palace through the same route. This rehearsal will be conducted twice daily for 15-20 days. The weight on Abhimanyu would be increased steadily since he has to carry the 800 kg golden howdah.