India, Sept. 7 -- Mysuru, Sept. 7 (MTY&BS)- To acclimatise the Dasara elephants with weight training ahead of the Jumboo Savari procession, Dasara elephant Mahendra successfully carried the Gaadi-Namda and a cradle loaded with sandbags, completing the exercise with ease.

The Dasara festivities will begin on Sept. 22 and conclude with the grand Jumboo Savari on Oct. 2.

Along with the traditional Howdah-carrying elephant Abhimanyu, two other elephants - Mahendra and Prashanth - have been shortlisted as standbys to take on the prestigious and demanding task, should there be any last-minute changes.

All three elephants - Abhimanyu, Mahendra and Prashanth - will be familiarised with the weights on alternate days until Oct. 1, when one of th...