MYSURU:
Tusker Arjuna
on Tuesday cemented his role as part of
Dasara duties, ambling confidently along the procession stretch with his mahout Sanappa, carrying the golden howdah, both performing their duties to perfection. Not a step out of place, which is the
USP
of
Mysuru Dasara.
Tasked with the highstress job, 33-year-old Sanappa carried it off with elan, much like
Arjuna
did in 2012, when he first performed the role of howdah elephant, the 750-kilo heirloom on his back.
Now that they have bonded well and have the age to back them, Arjuna and Sanappa will be a regular feature in Dasara for at least a decade to come.
The last time such an exciting combination helped the government continue the tradition without worrying much when legendary tusker Drona was the lead elephant, carrying the howdah a record 18 times under the direction of his mahout Doddappaji, without a murmur. Drona's successor veteran Balarama, the gentle giant, too created magic as he performed the task 13 times before Arjuna took over the task.
The era of Balarama, the darling of the masses, sadly came to an end.
Sanappa's feat came exactly two months after his father Dodda Masti's death.It was his father who trained Arjuna to reach the top as his mahout, and led him during the procession four years in a row. Sanappa was nervous as he started the big day .What gave him confidence was the skill he learnt from
Dodda Masti
in handling the jumbo, who has temperament issues. “My father was my biggest strength. As kavadi (assistant handler), I did my job without any worries because my father, an expert in handling the elephant, was there. Today he is not there and the responsibility fell on me,“ Sanappa told TOI.
Ahead of the festival, officials were worried about tasking Arjuna the job as they were apprehensive of his behaviour, especially with newbie Sanappa handling him. It was washed away after Arjuna's stellar performance.
The procession started minutes after CM Siddaramaiah offered the traditional puja to Nandi Dhwaja at Balarama Gate of Mysuru Palace at 2.16pm. It was 3.45 pm when officials took over the howdah, which is displayed at Doll's Pavilion at the Palace.In the next 45 minutes, it was placed and tied on Arjuna's back, and he was ready to hit the streets. As he kept waiting with kumki elephants Vijaya and
Cauvery at the northern corner of the Palace, the procession of tableaus and folk performers was still on.