Mysuru: The spectacular Jumbo Savari with a caparisoned Arjuna carrying the 750kg golden howdah, and other decked up Dasara elephants making their way majestically through the city in the company of cultural troupes and tableaux, left five lakh people spellbound for over two hours in Mysuru on Friday.
Launching the procession, Chief Minister H D Kumarswamy offered a floral benediction to goddess Chamundeswari enconsced in the golden howdah carried by Arjuna from a dais before the Mysuru Palace at 4.13pm and also offered pooja to the nandi dwaja at 2.45pm. In his Dasara message, he told the people that he prayed for their well being and revealing that the green shawl he was wearing, had been gifted to him by farmers, said his government was dedicated to their welfare too.
Following a national salute, the playing of the national anthem, and the firing of 21 cannon shots from 150- year- old seven brass barrels, a calm and composed Arjuna then set off from the palace to the tunes of the police band and nagaswara, in the company of the police , mounted and other platoons, home guard, and an RPF platoon led by parade commander, N Sudarshana on his horse, Saangini. While 58 -year- old Arjuna flanked by kumki elephants, Varalakshmi and Kaveri, brought up the rear of the procession of 41 troupes and 42 tableaux, 60- year -old Balarama led it as the Nishane elephant. The other caparisoned elephants, Abhimanyu , Vijaya, Prashantha, Dananjaya, Drona, Chaithra and Gopi too were cheered on by the awed crowd lining the route. Cultural troupes from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Odissa particpated.
