Anxious moments during Srirangapatna Dasara
The Hindu
Elephants panic on bursting of crackers, people scamper for cover
There were anxious moments at Srirangapatna Dasara which got underway on Saturday when crackers were burst close to elephant Gopalaswamy who panicked and swerved to his sides, sending people in the vicinity scampering for cover.
Elephants Gopalaswamy and Kaveri were sent to Srirangapatna from Mysuru for the annual Dasara festival and it only entailed prayers and showering of petals to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari.
The 3-day festival was inaugurated by Sri Nirmalananda Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Mutt. Deputy Conservator of Forests V. Karikalan said that elephants role was restricted to offering salute to the deity and showering of petals. The wooden howdah which is used for practice for the Vijayadashmi procession in Mysuru was also sent to Srirangapatna to place the procession idol in it and hoist it on the elephant.