Elephant Drona
Encyclopedia
Elephant Drona was one the Lead Dasara Elephants
of the Famous Jamboo Savari of Mysore Dasara
. It preceded Elephant Balarama
in carrying the Golden Howdah
.
. In the epic, Dronacharya is a priest, but he was so mature and intelligent that he taught warfare for a livelihood. The elephant Drona was named so because of his amazing ability to learn and correct himself.
operation in the Kakanakote
forest area of H.D. Kote taluk in 1971, Drona was used for a brief period in Shimoga to carry timber. Doddappaji was Drona's Mahout
. Doddappaji's association with Drona began from the day it was captured, as his father, Chennakeshavaiah, was in charge of taming it. Having grown up together, he understood the animal better than anyone else.
Drona was captured in a khedda operation in the Kakanakote forest area of H.D. Kote taluk in 1971, Drona was used for a brief period in Shimoga to carry timber. Syed Ahmed was drona's Mahout and Doddappaji was Drona's Kawadi. Doddappaji's association with Drona began from the day it was captured, as his father, Chennakeshavaiah, was in charge of taming it. Having grown up together, he understood the animal better than anyone else.
state just like any other celebrity.
, the elephant
that carried the howdah, has refused to take part in the Dasara
festivities since Drona was electrocuted. A third generation mahout and an expert in taming wild elephant
s, Doddappaji is haunted by memories of Drona. After the death of Drona, he has requested senior officials not to ask him to participate in the "Jamboo Savari." The mahout says he has not come across another elephant that matches the size and strength of Drona, whom people adored for his gentle behaviour.
Dasara Elephants
Elephants are an integral part of the Mysore Dasara Festival. The elephants form the core of the Mysore Dasara procession on the Vijayadashami day. The lead elephant carries the Golden Howdah with the Goddess Chamundeshwari in it....
of the Famous Jamboo Savari of Mysore Dasara
Mysore Dasara
Mysore Dasara is the Nadahabba of the state of Karnataka. It is also called Navaratri and is a 10-day festival with the last day being Vijayadashami, the most auspicious day of Dasara. Dasara usually falls in the month of September or October...
. It preceded Elephant Balarama
Elephant Balarama
Balarama is the lead elephant of the world famous Mysore Dasara procession and carries the statue of goddess Chamundeshwari on the fabled Golden Howdah. Balarama is a bull born cand is accompanied in the procession by other Dasara Elephants...
in carrying the Golden Howdah
Golden Howdah
The Golden Howdah is a howdah, the carrier mounted on the lead elephant during the Jamboo Savari of the famous Mysore Dasara. It is the cynosure of all eyes during the famous Dasara festivities.- The Howdah :The exact date of its making is not known...
.
The name
Drona was named after Dronacharya, the great guru of MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. In the epic, Dronacharya is a priest, but he was so mature and intelligent that he taught warfare for a livelihood. The elephant Drona was named so because of his amazing ability to learn and correct himself.
History
Drona was captured in a kheddaKhedda
A khedda was a stockade trap for the capture of elephants that was used in India. The elephants were driven into the stockade by skilled mahouts mounted on domesticated elephants....
operation in the Kakanakote
Kakanakote
Kakanakote is situated at a distance of 73 km from Mysore in Karnataka state, India. It is a thick forest of the Western Ghats, and a famous place where a large number of wild elephants can be found...
forest area of H.D. Kote taluk in 1971, Drona was used for a brief period in Shimoga to carry timber. Doddappaji was Drona's Mahout
Mahout
A mahout is a person who drives an elephant. The word mahout comes from the Hindi words mahaut and mahavat. Usually, a mahout starts as a boy in the 'family business' when he is assigned an elephant early in its life and they would be attached to each other throughout the elephant's life.The most...
. Doddappaji's association with Drona began from the day it was captured, as his father, Chennakeshavaiah, was in charge of taming it. Having grown up together, he understood the animal better than anyone else.
Drona was captured in a khedda operation in the Kakanakote forest area of H.D. Kote taluk in 1971, Drona was used for a brief period in Shimoga to carry timber. Syed Ahmed was drona's Mahout and Doddappaji was Drona's Kawadi. Doddappaji's association with Drona began from the day it was captured, as his father, Chennakeshavaiah, was in charge of taming it. Having grown up together, he understood the animal better than anyone else.
Death
One day in 1998 Drona went grazing in a village of Balle and pulled down a trunk of a tree to eat the leaves. The falling trunk also brought down a high-tension power cable and instantly electrocuted the celebrated bull. Drona was mourned in the karnatakaKarnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
state just like any other celebrity.
The Mahout
Doddappaji, who once handled DronaDrona
In the epic Mahābhārata, Drona or Dronacharya was the royal guru to Kauravas and Pandavas. He was a master of advanced military arts, including the Devastras. Arjuna was his favorite student. Dronas love for Arjuna was second only to his love for his son Ashwatthama...
, the elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
that carried the howdah, has refused to take part in the Dasara
Mysore Dasara
Mysore Dasara is the Nadahabba of the state of Karnataka. It is also called Navaratri and is a 10-day festival with the last day being Vijayadashami, the most auspicious day of Dasara. Dasara usually falls in the month of September or October...
festivities since Drona was electrocuted. A third generation mahout and an expert in taming wild elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s, Doddappaji is haunted by memories of Drona. After the death of Drona, he has requested senior officials not to ask him to participate in the "Jamboo Savari." The mahout says he has not come across another elephant that matches the size and strength of Drona, whom people adored for his gentle behaviour.
Trivia
- Drona attained celebrity status in KarnatakaKarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
for its majestic gait, grace and timid behaviour. - The elephant was very sensitive, he just wouldn’t relish the idea of anybody other than his mahout sitting atop him. Drona would shrug and shake his back, if any of us ‘lesser mortals’ tried hitching a ride.
- Drona had amazing ability to learn and correct himself. When the Golden HowdahGolden HowdahThe Golden Howdah is a howdah, the carrier mounted on the lead elephant during the Jamboo Savari of the famous Mysore Dasara. It is the cynosure of all eyes during the famous Dasara festivities.- The Howdah :The exact date of its making is not known...
shifted left or right during the procession, Drona could move his muscles selectively and stabilize the weight. His trainers were very surprised because they had not trained DronaDronaIn the epic Mahābhārata, Drona or Dronacharya was the royal guru to Kauravas and Pandavas. He was a master of advanced military arts, including the Devastras. Arjuna was his favorite student. Dronas love for Arjuna was second only to his love for his son Ashwatthama...
in this skill. - Drona also practiced energy conservation techniques, he would walk slow early in the procession to conserve energy.
- Drona had rigid eating habits, he was very particular about his diet, and always ate in solitude.
- Drona's Mahout did not wear slippers while mounting the animal as it was considered sacred.
- Drona had a perfect curve on its back to carry the 800 KG Golden HowdahGolden HowdahThe Golden Howdah is a howdah, the carrier mounted on the lead elephant during the Jamboo Savari of the famous Mysore Dasara. It is the cynosure of all eyes during the famous Dasara festivities.- The Howdah :The exact date of its making is not known...
.