Dhananjaya makes it to first batch of elephants

Mysuru: The three main elephants Balarama, Abhimanyu and Drona are not part of the first batch of six elephants to arrive as part of Gajapayana to Mysuru on Sept.2. The three elephants have been sent on an operation to catch wild elephants attacking people in Ramanagaram and its surrounding areas. In the light of this, the three elephants are being replaced by Vikrama, Gopi and Dhananjaya who is participating in the Dasara procession for the first time. These three were to be a part of the second batch of elephants. Balarama, Abhimanyu and Drona have been trained to tame the wild elephants and hence after the operation is complete they will be brought in the second batch. Due to the natural calamity in Kodagu, the first batch of elephants is arriving in Mysuru 20 days late. The second batch of six elephants will arrive within a week of the first batch. In the first batch, Ambari elephant Arjuna, 58, who is in the Dubare elephant camp, Dhananjaya, 37, Gopi, 36, Vikram, 45, are being brought from Dubare’s Anekadu camp. Varalakshmi, 62, from Mathigodu camp and Chaitra, 47, from Bandipur camp are arriving. Out of this, five elephants will come from Veeranahosahalli Gate to Mysuru, Chaitra is coming directly from Bandipur.