Now Reading: Dasara elephant Abhimanyu returns for one final farewell
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Dasara elephant Abhimanyu returns for one final farewell
Abhimanyu, the elephant who carried the Golden Howdah in Mysuru’s Jumboo Savari for six consecutive years from 2020 to 2025, received a traditional welcome at Mysore Palace on Monday, 5 October. He was brought from Mathigodu Elephant Camp in Kodagu for his final Dasara appearance as the ‘Nishane’ or pilot elephant. Fans followed his truck on bikes and cars from Hunsur to Mysuru, and he was greeted with a flower carpet, a puja by Palace Priest S.V. Prahallad Rao, and an 80-kg sweet lime garland.
The forest department had excluded Abhimanyu from this year’s squad after he turned 60 in April, citing Supreme Court directives. The sudden move irked fans and drew criticism, with campaigns demanding a ceremonial farewell. Former forest minister Eshwar Khandre wrote to Forest Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy, who then directed officials to accord a befitting send-off. Abhimanyu will undergo 15 days of training from Tuesday, 6 October, and lead the Dasara procession as pilot elephant.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Star of Mysore’s coverage foregrounds the fans’ resentment and the ‘sudden retirement move’ that irked them, while Deccan Herald reports the same events but attributes the exclusion to Abhimanyu turning 60 and the Supreme Court directives, framing the decision as procedurally correct. Both outlets describe the same welcome, puja and training schedule. The differing emphasis, public anger versus official procedure, reflects each outlet’s choice of lede rather than a factual dispute. The government’s eventual approval of Abhimanyu’s inclusion as pilot elephant, confirmed by both sources, is the concrete outcome to watch.
Training to acclimatise the elephants to cannon sounds is scheduled for 7, 9 and 12 October.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
Sources (2): starofmysore.com (government critical), deccanherald.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
