Mysuru: The forest department has announced that 12 elephants have been selected for the 2026 Mysuru Dasara, which has brought a significant change to this year’s festivities, with the howdah elephant Abhimanyu given a rest year after 60 years of service, and the popular tusker Bheema is being kept in reserve due to his health condition.Abhimanyu, who carried the prestigious Golden Howdah in the Dasara procession in recent years, has been excluded this year. His age was a key consideration in the decision, bringing an end to his stint as the howdah elephant. His absence is expected to be felt keenly this season. But after Balarama and Arjuna were retired as howdah elephants, they were still part of the Dasara jumbos contingent to ensure the presence of seasoned elephants.Bheema, 26, has also not found a place in the first list. However, he has been kept in reserve. The forest department will decide on his participation in the subsequent batch depending on his health condition, officials stated.The selection followed comprehensive health check ups. The elephants were assessed for their physical fitness, health and suitability for the demanding duties of the Dasara procession. Based on the medical reports and physical assessments, the selection committee finalised 12 elephants. The list was formally released on Tuesday by forest, ecology and environment minister Ramalinga Reddy.Deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) IB Prabhu Gouda said Abhimanyu has been retired, following the committee’s decision as he had attained 60 years of age. “Regarding Bheema, his health condition does not permit him to be in Mysuru. However, he has been kept in reserve.”Known for his strength, calm temperament and role in rescue and tracking operations involving wild elephants and tigers, Abhimanyu has been one of the most recognisable elephants associated with Mysuru Dasara. He succeeded Arjuna as the howdah elephant and carried Golden Howdah from 2020, becoming a major attraction of the annual procession.With Abhimanyu resting this year, forest department now faces the challenging task of identifying his successor. Three experienced elephants—Dhananjaya, Mahendra and Prashanth—are being considered for the responsibility of carrying Golden Howdah this year.The 2026 Mysuru Dasara elephant team features a mix of veteran performers and relatively new participants, with 12 elephants selected for the celebrations.Prashanth, 54, has an experience of 18 years, followed by Gopi, 43, who participated for 15 years. Hiranya has made over 12 appearances, while Dhananjaya has participated for eight years. Srikantha, Mahendra, Ekalavya, Sugreeva, Lakshmi, Roopa, Chaitra and Srirama will also be part of the team.
