With just two days left for the big day of this year’s Dasara, Jumboo Savari, a full-fledged rehearsal with all the elephants participating, was held in city this morning.
Mounted Police Commandant R. Janardhan, mounted on a horse, led other contingents through the 5-km long procession route from the Northern Gate of Mysore Palace to Bannimantap grounds where the Torchlight Parade, the grand finale for the Naada Habba, will be held on Oct.14.
The rehearsal led by Janardhan was followed by two platoons of KSRP Police, one platoon of CAR Police, two platoons of Mounted Police, one platoon of Railway Protection Force and another platoon of KSRP in that order and the procession also comprises Palace English and CAR bands.
Twelve of the 14 Dasara elephants excluding Srirama and Gajendra (who are presently housed in Palace) led by lead elephant Balarama, Abhimanyu pulling the Aane Gaadi and howdah elephant Arjuna also took part in the two-hour rehearsal.
Similar rehearsals of Jumboo Savari will be held tomorrow and on Oct. 13. A rehearsal of the torchlight parade will also be held on Oct. 13 evening.
New Parade Commander: CAR ACP T.P. Shivakumar, astride 8-year-old Sangini (previously ridden by S.G. Mariba Shetty) will be the new Parade Commander for this year’s torchlight parade as Mariba Shetty, who used to command the parade in the past, retired from service recently.
Shivakumar, a recipient of CM’s gold medal in 2011, has served as Dy. SP in Karnataka Police Academy and has the distinction of training cops from Maldives in 1984. He also has the credit of commanding weekly parades when Kasturirangan was the City Police Commissioner.
Balarama doubtful starter: It appears that the participation of lead elephant Balarama, who carried the 750-kg golden howdah for 18 years in the previous Jumboo Savaris, is nearing an end as authorities are considering the idea of withdrawing him from the elephant brigade.
It is said that enroute to Bannimantap grounds, Balarama tends to turn back towards the Palace on approaching the RMC Circle and the same is said to have forced the authorities to think twice before finalising on his participation in this year’s Jumboo Savari.
However, DCF Devaraj clarified that a final decision in this regard would be taken on Ayudha Puja Day (Oct. 13).
DCP (CAR) Prabhashankar, DCFs Devaraj and S.D.Gaonkar and Veterinarian Dr. Nagaraj were present during the rehearsal of all the formalities from the arrival of the dignitaries to the start of Jumboo Savari inside the Palace.
Courtesy : Star Of Mysore
