VEERANAHOSAHALLI (HUNSUR TALUK, MYSURU): ‘Gajapayana-2018’, the ceremonial march of the first batch of elephants participating in ‘Naada Habba’, was flagged off at Veeranahosahalli in Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarahole Forest) on Sunday. The first batch of five elephants led by Arjuna (the golden howdah carrier) was offered traditional puja during the auspicious ‘Simha Lagna’ amid galaxy of elected representatives and officials alike, thus marking the launch of the annual event.
The caparisoned elephants —Arjuna, Varalakshmi, Vikrama, Gopi and newcomer Dhananjaya-- who had been shifted from different camps to Veeranahosahalli in advance, were brought to the main entrance of forest gate, where a traditional puja was offered to them. As is the tradition, priest Prahallad Rao performed ‘Ganapati Archane’ and worshipped Vana Devathe (Goddess from the forest) amid vedic hymns and the sound of bells that reached its feverish pitch with a troupe of traditional artistes from Mysuru performing ‘Dollu Kunita’ and ‘Kamsale’ dance.
Flower petals were showered on the elephants as the puja culminated signalling the symbolical march of the elephants towards Mysuru, where they will be camping for over a month till Jamboo Savari, the last leg of Dasara on October 19.
Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda, who is also District Minister, Tourism and Sericulture Minister Sa Ra Mahesh, JD(S) state president and Hunsur MLA A H Vishwanath, MLAs Tanveer Sait, K Mahadev, C S Ashwin Kumar and B Harshvardhan, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar and IGP (Southern range) K V Sharat Chandra were prominent among the dignitaries who took part in the rituals.
Unlike previous years, when six elephants were taking part in the inaugural, five elephants were brought in this time. Moreover, Dasara veterans Balarama, Abhimanyu and Drona were not included in the first batch as the elephants are being involved in an operation to catch rogue elephants in Ramanagara.