MYSURU: Even before completion of a month of stay, the first batch of Dasara elephants which are camping on the palace premises have seen a rise in their weight with veteran elephant Arjuna outweighing all others. The weight checking process of all 14 Dasara elephants was held at Sairam and Co-weighing services here on Friday morning and the 63-year-old Arjuna who weighed 5,725 kg during the first round of weight checking a month back, scaled 5,885 kg gaining nearly 160 kg within a span of month.
He is followed by Gopalaswamy with 5,460 kg who has gained 320 kg in a month as he was 5,140 kg on August 11. Meanwhile, howdah elephant Abhimanyu stands third with 5,000 kg who has added 230 kg in a month. The weights of other Dasara elephants stood at - Bheema 4,345 kg, Mahendra 4,450 kg, Dhananjaya 4,980 kg, Kaveri 3,245 kg, Chaitra 3,235 kg and Lakshmi 3,150 kg.
Meanwhile, the second batch of five elephants which came to the city on Wednesday were also weighed for the first time where Srirama stood at 4,475 kg, Parthasarathy at 3,445 kg, Gopi 4,670 kg, Sugreeva 4,785 kg and Vijaya 2,760 kg.
All the 14 elephants were brought out from Balarama Gate. They walked via Chamaraja Circle to reach Dhanavantri Road where they were weighed. DCF Dr V Karikalan said the training for all elephants will start from September 12.