# Gajapayana begins as nine Dasara elephants journey to Mysuru 2026-08-26T23:35:36+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The nine elephants selected for the Mysuru Dasara festival began their journey from Veeranahosahalli in the Nagarahole reserve forest on Wednesday, in a ceremony called Gajapayana. Veteran elephant Abhimanyu was given a farewell as the procession set off. The elephants will travel to Mysuru over the coming days and undergo training before the 10-day festival events. The Dasara celebrations, led by the royal Wadiyar family tradition, culminate in the Jamboo Savari procession through the city streets. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Gajapayana ceremony is the official start of the 10-day Dasara festival in Mysuru, a tradition revived in its modern form by the Wadiyar dynasty. The nine elephants selected undergo weeks of training and preparation for the public processions. The forest department and the district administration jointly manage the logistics, including veterinary checks and route planning. The main Jamboo Savari procession is scheduled for 7 October 2026, when the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari will be carried on a golden howdah atop the lead elephant through the streets of Mysuru. ## Coverage - deccanherald.com Straight news agency-style report of an event with no editorial framing This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Abhimanyu, Gajapayana, Mysuru, Mysuru Dasara, Nagarahole Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/gajapayana-begins-as-nine-dasara-elephants-journey-to-mysuru/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/gajapayana-begins-as-nine-dasara-elephants-journey-to-mysuru/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/