Inside the Mysore Palace, Dasara elephants are bathed and groomed. They are taken to water ponds where they are bathed and mahouts use brushes made out of coconut fibre and coir to brush their bodies. Elephants enjoy being clean and constant rubbing ensures that ticks and other insects do not infect their bodies. They often lie down or stretch out (rear legs bent, front legs extended) so their keepers can hose off and scrub their backs. After cleaning, they are taken on a walk and later are fed with nutritious food to cope up with the strenuous routine. The formal rehearsals with sandbags for the grand spectacle will begin inside the Palace from tomorrow. Before rehearsals at 11.30 am, pujas will be performed and the actual rehearsals will begin at 12.10 pm.
