: Gajapayana on Sept.13 #IndiaNEWS #Coronavirus Update Traditional welcome to jumbos at Mysore Palace on Sept. 16Dasara inauguration atop Chamundi Hill on Oct. 7Utsavamurthy procession from Hill temple

Gajapayana on Sept.13 #IndiaNEWS #Coronavirus Update
Traditional welcome to jumbos at Mysore Palace on Sept. 16Dasara inauguration atop Chamundi Hill on Oct. 7Utsavamurthy procession from Hill temple to PalaceJumboo Savari procession in Palace premises on Oct. 15Palace to be illuminated from 7 pm to 9. 30 pm during Navarathri

Mysore/Mysuru: With Nada Habba Dasara festival, which is to be celebrated in a simple manner on account of COVID crisis, just a month away, District Minister S. T. Somashekar said that ‘Gajapayana’, the march of Dasara elephants from their forest camps to Mysore Palace, will be launched at Veeranahosahalli in Hunsur taluk of the district at 9. 30 am on Sept. 13.

Speaking to presspersons after holding a Dasara preparatory meeting and release of Gajapayana poster at Mysore Palace Board Office here yesterday, Somashekar said that last year only five elephants were brought to Mysuru for Dasara. But this year, 8 elephants will be brought to Mysuru from different elephant camps in Mysuru and Kodagu districts.

Pointing out that Dasara elephants will be accorded traditional welcome at Mysore Palace premises on Sept. 16 (in the auspicious time between 8. 36 am and 9. 11 am), he said that the elephants will be taken back to their respective camps on Oct. 17 after the conclusion of ‘Nada Habba’.

Noting that the Forest Department has sought Rs. 50 lakh fund for maintenance of Dasara elephants, the Minister said that the meeting agreed to sanction the sought fund along with clearing last years dues of Rs. 23 lakh.

Referring to Dasara inauguration, Somashekar said that the festival will be inaugurated atop Chamundi Hill by performing puja to the presiding deity in the auspicious time between 8. 15 am and 8. 45 am on Oct. 7.

Maintaining that the Utsavamurthy will be brought in a procession from Chamundi Hill to Mysore Palace in order to enable people to have a darshan of Goddess Chamundeshwari during Dasara, he said that the selection of the dignitary to inaugurate Dasara has been left to the discretion of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Jumboo Savari procession will be held on Oct. 15, with Ambari Pushparchane to take place between 5 pm and 5. 36 pm in the Palace premises.

Stating that Dasara elephant Abhimanyu will carry the Golden Howdah (Ambari) this time too, the Minister said that Abhimanyu will be accompanied by seven other elephants — Ashwathama, Dhananjaya, Vikrama, Kaveri, Chaitra, Lakshmi and Gopala- swamy. [See also Page 4]

Noting that 100-km length of Mysuru streets will be illuminated during Dasara this year as compared to 60 kms last year, the Minister said that the street lighting will cover a total of 150 roads and 77 Circles and junctions in the city.