Mysore, June 25, 2013: The tamed elephants that are an integral part of the Mysore Dasara festivities are on a different missioncurrently. Arjuna, Srirama, Gajendra, Abhimanyu, Harsha and Vikrama have set out on a new mission to tackle the large wild elephant herd that have wrought havoc in Malur and has moved towards Anekal near Bangalore.

Dasara elephants are not just part of the regal splendour that is associated with the Dasara. They are also groomed for the difficult task of reining in the members of their own kind in the jungles. And, all the animals have taken part in the capture of wild elephants from different areas of the forests in the State in the recent times just as they have been serving the Dasara with utmost diligence and dignity.

“We will be told about the exact location of operations once we reach Bangalore,” Umashankar, veterinarian, who is accompanying a few of the animals, told The Hindu .

The six “well groomed soldiers” are enough to drive away wild herd back to the forests, says Dr. Umashankar. . The team that is accompanying the Dasara elephants on the new mission include tranquiliser dart experts Akram, Venkatesh and Karumbaiah.

Arjuna (53), who carried the golden howdah during the Dasara in Mysore last year comes from Mathigodu camp. The animal was captured in the Kakanakote forests during the Khedda operations in 1968. Abhimanyu (47) from the Mathigodu camp was captured from the Hebballa forests in Kodagu in 1977. Abhimanyu is an adept in the wild elephant capture operations and even taming them. Gajendra (58) is an old timer in the Dasara festivities coming from K. Gudi camp. This animal was captured at the Kattepura forests in Kodagu in 1987.

Like Abhimanyu, Gajendra too is an expert in assisting in the capture of wild elephants. Srirama(56) is also from K. Gudi. It was captured from the Thithimathi forests in Kodagu in 1969. Vikrama (41) hails from the Dubare Elephant Camp and was captured in the Doddabetta forests in 1990. Harsha (47) also comes from the same camp. It is another daring animal prepared to take on its counterparts in the wild, said M.M. Achappa, Range Forest Officer, Kushalnagar. Harsha too was captured in the Doddabetta forests in 1990.

Two mahouts and an identical number of kavadis are accompanying the elephants from Dubare camp, said Mr. Achappa.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 25, 2013.