Dasara elephants being fed in Mysuru on Sunday. | Photo Credit: M.A. SRIRAM
Led by Abhimanyu, the 9 elephants are tenting on the palace grounds, accompanied by their respective mahouts and kavadis or assistants.
The elephants stroll day by day from the palace to the Bannimantap grounds — the terminal level of the Dasara procession — overlaying a bit of greater than 5 km within the course of. Their return march provides as much as an extra 5 km, thereby clocking 10 km day by day.
Besides, they are going to be joined by the second batch of one other 5 elephants subsequent week, and will probably be subjected to carrying sandbags weighing practically 500 kg to begin with, which is able to regularly be elevated to achieve a most of about 1,000 to 1,200 kg. This is to make the lead elephant Abhimanyu acclimatise to carrying the golden howdah, which weighs round 750 kg, other than the load of the mahout.
Similar ‘weight coaching’ will probably be imparted to a few different male elephants, in order that they will step into the accountability of carrying the howdah in case of any exigency.
To be sure that the elephants stay match, they’re supplied with a particular weight-reduction plan which is rigorously ready and meets the dietary necessities of the mild giants.
Prabhu Gowda, Deputy Conservator of Forest, mentioned that every male elephant requires about 750 kg of meals, whereas feminine elephants eat about 550 kg to 600 kg of meals. This consists of department fodder weighing 450 kg to 500 kg per elephant, 175 kg to 200 kg of inexperienced grass, and 20 to 25 kg of paddy or wheat. This is along with a concentrated particular weight-reduction plan of 10 kg to 12 kg per elephant per day. The concentrated particular weight-reduction plan includes of inexperienced gram, horse gram, black gram, boiled rice, greens, and many others., mentioned Mr. Gowda. While the amount varies for female and male elephants, the content material is identical, he added.
Veterinary medical doctors and forest officers supervising the routine mentioned the meals is designed to supply sufficient energy to match the train schedule of the jumbos, whereas stopping fats accumulation. The second batch of elephants embody a couple of who’re comparatively new to the spectacle, and they’ll bear comparable coaching and weight-reduction plan management, with an in depth dietary chart already been ready, they mentioned.
Unlike previously, butter has been withdrawn from their weight-reduction plan, however horse gram (hurali) and finger millet (ragi) have been included. This is other than sugarcane, jaggery, and coconuts which can be supplied to complement the rice balls, mentioned Mr. Gowda.
“The thought is to present them a balanced vitamin with strength-building parts,” an official defined. The rehearsal has been easy to this point and the apply of creating the elephants stroll from the palace to Bannimantap grounds is to familiarise them with the procession route. In addition, the elephants may also get used to the sight and sound of people, other than the cacophony.
In the weeks resulting in the Vijayadashami procession, coaching will probably be as essential because the particular weight-reduction plan, making certain the elephants are bodily and temperamentally prepared for the royal march.
Published – August 17, 2025 11:28 pm IST
