Mysuru: Abhimanyu carries 750-kg wooden howdah with ease at practice session

Mysuru: As the world famous Dasara festival in Mysuru is approaching fast, elephant team leader Abhimanyu started its practice of carrying wooden howdah on Friday.

Abhimanyu appeared fully poised to carry 750-kg Golden Howdah on the day of Dasara. Navaratri festivities will commence from October 7, with former chief minister S M Krishna doing the honour of inaugurating the festival at Chamundi Hill.

District in-charge minister S T Somashekar will take part in puja to wooden howdah. The 56-year-old elephant who is also popular as a combing specialist is carrying the Golden Howdah. He carried the wooden howdah weighing 750 kg with sandbags and walked for about 200 metres within Mysore Palace precincts as part of rehearsal.

Earlier, other Dasara elephants went through a dry run carrying on their back wooden howdah up to Bannimantapa. Minister Somashekar, MLA L Nagendra, MUDA Chairman H V Rajiv, Mylac Chairman N V Phaneesh, Karnataka State Safai

Karmachari Commission Chairman Kote Shivanna, BJP leader U S Shekar, DC Bagadi Gautham, Police Commissioner Dr Chandragupta, Deputy Director of Mysore Palace Board T S Subramanya, DCFs V Karikalan and Kamala Karikalan and other officers were present on the occasion.