Dasara 2019: Gajapayana marks jumbo start for annual fest
1 min readVeeranahosahalli: Dasara 2019 has taken off in a grand manner with “Gajapayana” from Veeranahosahalli gate in Nagarahole forest in Hunsur on August 22.
The first batch of six elephants led by 59-year-old howdah carrier Arjuna have started their journey towards Mysuru, where they will be camping till the culmination of Vijayadashami the final leg of Dasara on October 8.
The caparisoned elephants raised their trunks as the dignitaries and officials showered flower petals, after performing traditional puja to the elephants.
Prahallad Rao the priest performed ‘Gaja Puja’ in the presence of Ministers R Ashok and V Somanna.
The other elephants in the first batch are- Abhimanyu, 53 years, Varalakshmi, 63, both from Matthigodu elephant camp, Vijaya, 68 from Dubare elephant camp, Dhananjaya, 36 and Eshwara, 49 from the same camps.
The elephants will be ferried to Mysuru in separate trucks and will camp at Aranya Byavan premises in Ashokapuram, till they will be taken to Palace premises on August 26.
Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath, MLA S A Ramadass and L Nagendra, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar, SP C B Ryshyanth and other officials were present.
– Team Mysoorunews