Prashanth emerges as new king of Dasara jumbos, carries golden howdah

The new captain has arrived. The 54-year-old tusker Prashanth successfully carried the 750-kg golden howdah in his debut appearance at the grand Dasara finale in Mysuru on Wednesday (October 21), marking the beginning of a new chapter in the legacy of the celebrated ‘’Ambari’’ elephants.

A resident of the Dubare elephant camp, Prashanth, who has 18 years of experience as a Dasara elephant, emerged as the successor to veteran tusker Abhimanyu as the new bearer of the golden howdah. A team of experts and forest officials selected him for the prestigious responsibility after assessing various factors, including fitness, temperament and overall suitability.

Prashanth was chosen from among five shortlisted tuskers after emerging as the preferred candidate for the challenging task of carrying the 750-kg howdah bearing the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari.

Known for his calm temperament, Prashanth lived up to the expectations of the selectors as he managed to carry out the big task with composure and majesty, matching the stature associated with the elephants that have carried the golden howdah over the years.

Unfazed by the deafening noise and thousands of people gathered along the procession route to witness the iconic Jamboo Savari, Prashanth marched majestically through the streets, accompanied by kumki elephants Kaveri and Roopa.

With his successful debut, Prashanth has taken centre stage as the new leader of the Dasara elephant contingent, carrying forward a tradition associated with celebrated tuskers such as Drona, Balarama, Arjuna and Abhimanyu.