Dasara Festival - Elephant Procession
Satyameva Jayathe: Golden Howdah at Mysore Dasara Festival
It is said that golden howdah weighs around 800 kg. The howdah is made of pure gold. The howdah has two wide seats in rows, bigger than the interiors of a family car.
This golden howdah will be mounted on the back of a decorated elephant selected specially for the occasion in view of the strains and stress that animal would be put through the traveling of a distance of about 2.5 miles from the Mysore Palace to the Banni Mantapa grounds.
The sacred idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari will be installed inside this howdah.
The Elephant carrying the Howdah is trained and groomed to do the job years before it actually does it. Now a days the honor of carrying the Golden howadh and the statue of Chamundeshwari has fallen on Elephant Balarama. Elephant Balarama which is around 51 years old, had again got the honour of carrying the howdah for the 10th year in a row. The experts says that this is a task for which not every elephant is qualified, as the elephant should be endowed with regal looks, a flat back and equipoise under extreme stress. This may be the last time for Balarama, as the forest department is seriously considering retiring the 51 year old elephant.
Why do I share this known facts with you?
With reverence to all, I feel that the agony of the elephant that is made to carry this heavy weight and to made to travel a distance about 2 ½ miles should receive the attention of all Hindu devotees. We worship Elephants as Ganapathy, auscipus God whose benevolence is being sought before starting any venture.
I strongly suggest that the weight of howdah should be reduced to such an extent so that any adult elephant should be in a position to carry the load with ease.
Let us not put Balarama or for that matter any other Elephant to torture for our pleasure and enjoyment. There is no sanctity attached, if the weight of the howdah is reduced considerably.
I felt badly for the Balarama on viewing the celebrations.
I could not resist my feelings and so this mail.
It is needless for me to state that I am also a devout Hindu believing hindu traditions, rituals and functions.
It is said that golden howdah weighs around 800 kg. The howdah is made of pure gold. The howdah has two wide seats in rows, bigger than the interiors of a family car.
This golden howdah will be mounted on the back of a decorated elephant selected specially for the occasion in view of the strains and stress that animal would be put through the traveling of a distance of about 2.5 miles from the Mysore Palace to the Banni Mantapa grounds.
The sacred idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari will be installed inside this howdah.
The Elephant carrying the Howdah is trained and groomed to do the job years before it actually does it. Now a days the honor of carrying the Golden howadh and the statue of Chamundeshwari has fallen on Elephant Balarama. Elephant Balarama which is around 51 years old, had again got the honour of carrying the howdah for the 10th year in a row. The experts says that this is a task for which not every elephant is qualified, as the elephant should be endowed with regal looks, a flat back and equipoise under extreme stress. This may be the last time for Balarama, as the forest department is seriously considering retiring the 51 year old elephant.
Why do I share this known facts with you?
With reverence to all, I feel that the agony of the elephant that is made to carry this heavy weight and to made to travel a distance about 2 ½ miles should receive the attention of all Hindu devotees. We worship Elephants as Ganapathy, auscipus God whose benevolence is being sought before starting any venture.
I strongly suggest that the weight of howdah should be reduced to such an extent so that any adult elephant should be in a position to carry the load with ease.
Let us not put Balarama or for that matter any other Elephant to torture for our pleasure and enjoyment. There is no sanctity attached, if the weight of the howdah is reduced considerably.
I felt badly for the Balarama on viewing the celebrations.
I could not resist my feelings and so this mail.
It is needless for me to state that I am also a devout Hindu believing hindu traditions, rituals and functions.
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