Mysore: The 53-year-old Dasara jumbo Arjuna is on a weight-gaining mission. In mid-September when a herd of Dasara jumbos checked into Mysore for Dasara 2012, Arjuna had gained a whopping 700 kilos. Arjuna is likely to do so again, making him a strong contender to be the howdah elephant this year too.
The Dasara elephants get special treatment while in Mysore the aim is to build their muscles and stamina, something that is being practised for decades. Now the foresters pamper them during their stay in the forests attending to their nutritional needs.
Twice a day, these captive elephants housed at Nagaraholes two elephant camps at Balle and Mattigodu get their feed. Four tuskers Arjuna, Balarama, Abhimanyu and Gopalkrishna and Sarala, Varalakshmi and Gange are housed in the tiger reserve. Six jumbos which are drafted for Dasara works and are housed at Dubare camp are also extended the special care,sources said.
This assumes significance as Arjuna had gained weight while Balarama had lost some 400 kg when they reappeared for the 2012 edition. Arjuna weighed 5,520 kg while Balarama 4,535 kg.