MYSURU: Dasara elephants were accorded a traditional ceremonial welcome at the Mysuru Palace on Wednesday. Nine elephants, led by Abhimanyu, were welcomed amid showering of petals at the auspicious Kanya lagna.
The elephants which arrived from Veeranahosahalli in Hunsur to Aranya Bhavan on Sunday took a majestic walk on Wednesday morning to reach the palace at 8.10 am. Prior to leaving Aranya Bhavan, a traditional puja was performed at 7 am by forest department officials, following which they walked through Ballal Circle, Ramaswamy Circle, Chamaraja Double Road to reach the Jayamarthanda Gate at the palace. All the nine elephants -- Abhimanyu, Bheema, Gopalaswamy, Mahendra, Arjuna, Dhananjaya, Kaveri, Chaitra and Lakshmi -- were accorded the traditional poornakumbha welcome, while priests led by SV Prahallad Rao performed Ganapathi Homa, Dwarapalaka Puja, Chamara Seve and Pushpacharge before making them enter the palace at 9.20 am.
The jumbos received a rousing reception as folk troupes performed. District in-charge Minister ST Somashekhar, MLAs SA Ramadas and L Nagendra, MP Pratap Simha and others showered petals.