Mysuru Dasara 2026 preparations kick off with grand Gajapayana ceremony
Mangalore Today News Network
Mysuru, Aug 26, 2026: Preparations for the Mysuru Dasara 2026 formally began on Wednesday with the traditional Gajapayana ceremony at Veeranahosahalli near the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Hunsur taluk.
Mysuru district in-charge minister Dr S Yathindra flagged off the first batch of nine elephants for their Dasara training amid tight security and the traditional tunes of Mangala Vaadya.
At the auspicious Tula Lagna at 10.09 am, Dr Yathindra performed pooja to the elephants and fed them jaggery, bananas, sugarcane and traditional delicacies, including chakkuli, karjikai, kajjaya and rave unde.
Twelve elephants, including four females, have been finalised for this year’s Dasara. The nine elephants that participated in Wednesday’s ceremony were Dhananjaya, Gopi, Srirama, Srikanta, Prashantha and Cauvery from Dubare camp; Mahendra and Lakshmi from Balle camp; and Ekalavya from Matthigodu camp. Veteran elephant Abhimanyu was positioned at the centre during the ceremony.
A major highlight of the event was the farewell to Abhimanyu, who participated in Mysuru Dasara for 22 years and carried the golden howdah six times. He turned 60 this year and has retired from the Dasara festivities.
Abhimanyu made a majestic entry between the other elephants, raising his trunk as flowers were showered around him. He was later honoured at the stage event.
The traditional mini procession was initially curtailed as a safety precaution following the recent incident at Dubare, where a tussle between two elephants resulted in the deaths of an elephant and a tourist. The elephants performed the pooja within the Veeranahosahalli gate and initially moved only a short distance. However, following public demand, they were taken in a procession to the stage venue.
A customised barricade was installed around the elephants as a precaution. The pooja was conducted from outside the barricade, while guests were permitted inside to feed the elephants fruits and jaggery.
Around 30 women and children carrying kalashas, along with folk-art teams performing Kamsaale, Dollu Kunitha and Chande Vaadana, added colour to the celebrations.
At the stage programme, mahouts and kavadiyas were honoured and formally invited to participate in the Dasara festivities. The Arjuna Award, instituted in memory of veteran Dasara elephant Arjuna, was presented to Abhimanyu’s mahout Vasantha and kavadi Raju J K.
Dr Yathindra also released a booklet on the Dasara elephants and watched a documentary showcasing their selection, Gajapayana, training, nutritious diet, showers, oil massages and other activities.
Recalling the history of Dasara from the Vijayanagara era to the present, Dr Yathindra described it as Naada Habba and said the government had planned special programmes this year, including Kambala and an air show.
He also said the Chief Minister had assured a joint meeting of the Revenue and Forest departments to address issues faced by farmers living along forest fringes. Plans are also underway for a sewage treatment plant to prevent pollution of the Lakshmanatheertha river and underground drainage works in Hunsur.
Hunsur MLA G D Harish Gowda said the festival’s grandeur had been preserved despite its history spanning around 400 years. He urged the government to declare Hunsur a drought-hit taluk and sought relief for farmers affected by deficient rainfall.
Gowda also sought a joint Forest-Revenue survey to provide land-rights documents to farmers cultivating land along forest fringes, along with permanent measures to address human-animal conflict and welfare initiatives for tribal communities.
Around 7,000 people attended the Gajapayana celebrations, with the turnout estimated to be about 20% lower than last year. The absence of elephant Bhima was also noticed, as he has been kept in reserve due to being in musth.
Following the stage programme, the elephants will be transported by lorries to Aranya Bhavan in Mysuru by Wednesday evening for further training.