The Mysuru Dasara Golden Howdah procession will not be led by Mahendra after the 42-year-old elephant was ruled out following his second unsuccessful attempt to complete a five-kilometre rehearsal while carrying the wooden howdah and associated load.
Deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) IG Prabhugouda said Mahendra would no longer be considered for the howdah duty because the elephant appeared uncomfortable carrying the load. “Mahendra is not comfortable carrying the howdah. If an elephant is uncomfortable, we cannot force it to continue. Its safety and well-being are our priority,” he said.
Mahendra, from Balle Elephant Camp in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, was one of five tuskers being trained for the role. The selection has become important this year because experienced elephant Abhimanyu is resting from the responsibility of carrying the Golden Howdah during the Dasara procession.
The rehearsal began at the Mysuru Palace premises around 5pm and followed the designated route towards Banni Mantap. Mahendra stopped near the entrance to KR Circle and remained stationary for more than 10 minutes. He resumed walking after being coaxed by his mahout but stopped again a few metres ahead, remaining there for another 10 minutes.
Forest officials then discontinued the rehearsal as a precautionary measure. The wooden howdah, along with sandbags and other paraphernalia weighing about 1,000kg, was removed midway near KR Hospital Junction. The load was later returned to the palace in a goods vehicle, an unusual development during recent Dasara rehearsals.
Prabhugouda said no visible health problem had been detected in Mahendra, but a detailed medical examination was under way to rule out internal health issues. The decision to exclude him was therefore linked to his discomfort during the training exercise rather than to a confirmed visible injury.
The remaining four tuskers in training—Dhananjaya, Prashantha, Sugreeva and Ekalavya—remain in contention for the Golden Howdah duty. Forest officials said all four were ready for the role, and one of them would be selected to carry the howdah during the October 21 procession.
The decision comes with only about two weeks remaining before the procession, when the selected elephant will have to move from the palace through a dense gathering of devotees to Banni Mantap. The rehearsal process is intended to assess whether the animal can tolerate the weight, route and public environment safely. The next selection will follow the continuing training and assessment of the four elephants still under consideration.
