Dasara jumbos back in the woods

MYSORE: After the party, it's time to get back to some work for the Dasara jumbos.
The band of 12 elephants that were camping in the city for the festival are back in the woods on Wednesday. When they arrived, the pachyderms were given a traditional welcome, and now, when it is time to return to the jungle too, they will be given a farewell. District minister S A Ramadas will be present to bid them adieu from the Mysore Palace.For the overnight journey, each of the 12 elephants will board a lorry. The forests will be their home till they get back for Dasara 2011.
Meanwhile, Gajendra has beat Balarama and put on more weight while they were here. Balarama, the howdah elephant who is specially treated, has gained 75 kg more, but Gajendra has reached 5,350 kg from 4,840 kg to gain 735 kilos in the 40 days while they were here. The forest department that weighed the jumbos when they came here on September 7 checked the weight they gained, on Monday. Except Balarama, all the other five elephants, Abhimanyu (550 kg), Varalakshmi (540 kg), Sarala (540 kg), Arjuna (510 kg) and Gajendra have gained over 500 kg while Balarama weighs 475 kg.
The prizes for the performing artistes' troupes during the Jamboo Savari are also out. Police commissioner Sunil Agarwal, who heads the Dasara procession panel, said the first prize went to Ranebennur-based Sri Veerabhadreshwara Kala Sangha for their presenting of Veeragase. Somana Kunit from Tumkur, A G Kumaraswamy and troupe has got second and Dharwad district's Kubera Gowda Muralli and troupe has been awarded third prize for Jaggalike Mela.