Mysuru Dasara Mahotsav-2021: Majestic elephants get a grand welcome at the Mysuru Palace

Time-honoured rituals were seen being followed at the Jayamarthanda gate of Mysuru Palace on Thursday as the majestic elephants made way into the palace with sound of the shehnai and drums setting the tone for Mysuru’s Dasara festivities.
The district administration and Mysuru Palace Board accorded a traditional welcome by offering rituals and arranged the Royal guard of honor for the fleet of elephants and welcomed them with flower shower.Mysuru in-charge minister ST Somashekar, Mayor Sunanda Palanethra, Deputy Commissioner Dr Bagadi Gautham, Mysuru Police Commissioner Dr Chandragupta, and others from Dasara executive committee welcomed the elephants with a grand Gaja puja. The elephants would be staying at temporary sheds provided to them in the palace premises along with their caretakers for the entire duration of the festival.
56-year-old tusker Abhimanyu would lead the team of elephants taking part in the jumbo savari this year. The fleet includes five male and three female elephants. Of the eight elephants participating, this year marks the Dasara debut of 34-year-old Ashwathama who was found in the forest of Sakleshpur four years ago.

Mysuru Dasara will begin from October 7 and will end by October 15. Due to the pandmeic, CM Basavaraj Bommai would be taking a call on allowing more people to attend the celebrations based on the Covid-19 situation on September 25. The Dasara executive committee has indicated that the cultural events held at Mysuru Palace might be opened for more people, depending on the Covid-19 situation in Karnataka.
- For the first time in the history of Mysuru Dasara festivities in Karnataka, Goddess Chamundeshwari's idol will be brought from Chamundi Hills to the Mysuru Palace in a jumbo savari
- The eight elephants participating in the coming Dasara festival in Mysuru will receive insurance.
- This year marks the Dasara debut of 34-year-old Ashwathama who was found in the forest of Sakleshpur four years ago.