Dasara Jumbos Connection With an Ancient Dargah in Mysuru
Elephants visit Hazrat Imam Shah Wali Dargah, keeping 85-year-old tradition alive
Bengaluru
On the eve of Jumbo Savari, the finale of Mysore Dasara festivities, elephants participating in the festivities take blessings at 250 years old Hazrat Imam Shah Wali Dargah on Krishna Vilas road in Mysuru city, a practice followed since 85 years.
The dargah belongs to the era of the Maharajas of Mysore who ruled the region. The dargah dates back to 1758.
As per the folklore, an elephant which had come for Dasara festivities took ill, and Mohammad Yakub Sab, then grandfather of Mohammad Nikeebullah Shah Quadri, priest at the Hazrat Imam Shah Wali Dargah, treated the jumbo. The treated jumbo recovered. Then, the treated jumbo was taken to Hazrat Imam Shah Wali Dargah as thanksgiving.
The day on which the treated Dasara jumbo visited dargah was on an Ayudha Puja day years back, and since then the practice has been followed in Mysuru to take Dasara jumbos to the dargah. Every year, the tradition has been followed.
Current head of the dargah, Mohammad Nikeebullah Shah Quadri, said the Dasara jumbos come to dargah to seek blessings here. “We pray for the jumbo savari procession going without hassles. The festivities should go peacefully and celebrate the Dasara festivities,” he said.
“I’m the 5th generation to head the dargah which is open to all people irrespective of one’s religion. People come and pray here to get their wishes fulfilled,” he said.
At the dargah, elephants are blessed by the priest by swiping the elephants’ foreheads and trunk with peacock feathers, while Dasara elephants bring incense sticks and sweet boondi as offerings to the dargah.
The priest, after prayer, hands over a lemon to caretakers of elephants to ward off evil, if any, ahead of the jumbo savari, a 4.5 km walk of elephants from Mysore Palace premises to Bannimantap in Mysuru city.
