Mysuru has long been renowned worldwide for its vibrant Dasara celebrations. However, now, for sometime to come, Mysuru will also be known as the birthplace of acclaimed sculptor who carved ‘Balak Ram,’ all thanks to the talented artist Arun Yogiraj, a third-generation sculptor from Mysuru.

Arun’s remarkable achievements have made Mysureans proud and has also solidified our city’s reputation as an abode of art and culture.

Arun’s three notable sculptures — the statues of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate in New Delhi, and now, Balak Ram in Ayodhya — stand as a testament to his exceptional skill and dedication.

Star of Mysore Managing Editor Vikram Muthanna spoke to Arun Yogiraj about his sculpting journey. Excerpts…

Star of Mysore (SOM): You have three prestigious sculptures in India. How did you get a breakthrough into North India as not many decision-makers there would know about artisans from the South?

Arun Yogiraj: Our biggest drawback is that we are far away from Delhi and getting access to decision-makers is not easy. I was able to get access to Delhi through the statue of Adi Shankaracharya, commissioned by Jindal Steel Works (JSW) through a CSR fund.

The company had taken up the restoration works of Adi Shankaracharya’s Samadhi, which was damaged in floods. JSW contacted various States asking for names of stone artists.

In Karnataka, they approached Dr. Mohanrao B. Panchal, Head, Department of Visual Arts, Kannada University, Hampi, who referred the names of five artists and I was one among them.

The company asked the artists to submit a 2-foot tall model of Shankaracharya. The models were presented to Prime Minister Modi and he liked my model. Later, I received a call informing me that my model was selected and was asked to sculpt the bigger statue.

SOM: It is said, you almost didn’t get to sculpt Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue. What happened?

Arun Yogiraj: I was in discussion to sculpt Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue. In the meantime, a meeting with the Prime Minister was pending as the PM wanted to meet me personally after the installation of Adi Shankaracharya’s statue in Kedarnath.

The meeting kept getting postponed. So I requested our Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha to help me.

Since I had agreed to sculpt the statue of Subhas Chandra Bose, I had sculpted a miniature stone idol of Netaji. By this time, Pratap Simha got an appointment with the PM. He then not only helped me carry the small statue of Netaji in the plane despite weight restrictions but also made me stay at his MP residence in Delhi.

During our meeting, PM Modi enquired about the progress of Netaji’s statue. I informed him that I had not received any work order and that some people were approaching me for subcontract work for Netaji’s statue! 

The PM was surprised and immediately instructed Union Minister Pralhad V. Joshi to set the matter right.

After this, Union Minister for Culture G. Kishan Reddy was summoned. Even he was shocked to learn that I had not received any work order. Both Pralhad Joshi and Pratap Simha followed up and finally, I received the work order on June 13, 2022.

If I had not spoken to our MP and had he not got the Prime Minister’s appointment immediately, I would have missed my chance to sculpt Netaji’s statue. It would have probably been sculpted by someone else and credit would have gone to some other person who didn’t even sculpt it as it would have been subcontracted.

How Arun Yogiraj got selected to sculpt Balak Ram

SOM: How did you get selected to sculpt Balak Ram’s idol?

Arun Yogiraj: It all started with the search for the artist in January 2023. Three sculptors from Karnataka and another from Rajasthan, who are known to me, were informed about the work. But I was not informed.

I was disappointed that even though I had completed two national projects (Netaji and Adi Shankaracharya), I was not informed. But I consoled myself saying that I had already completed two major national projects, so it’s okay.

But then in April 2023, a meeting was held at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to finalise the artists who will sculpt Balak Ram. In that meeting, IGNCA Member-Secretary Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, who had personally seen my work in Delhi, was surprised not to see my name in the list of artists shortlisted to sculpt Balak Ram. Dr. Joshi then asked the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to invite me to immediately present my work.

I was called overnight to Delhi. A few weeks later, 11 artists were shortlisted and three of them were finalised, I was one among them.

SOM: What style of sculpting did you decide on? 

Arun Yogiraj: I had to connect both North and South India and the black stone idol connects well with the Southern part. While sculpting the idol, I ensured that the jewellery was carved in Hoysala style. The attire was sculpted in  North Indian style and again the ‘kankana’ was sculpted in South style.

Lord Hanuman and Garuda have been sculpted in Tamil Nadu style. The Dashavathara has been sculpted with reference to North Indian temples. The Balak Ram idol is an amalgamation of the best Indian styles since the idol belongs to the entire nation.

SOM: What was your routine in Ayodhya when you were sculpting? 

Arun Yogiraj: The first day of work began by offering ‘puja’ to the stone as per rituals. The sculpting works began with offering ‘shila puja’ and tying ‘kankana’ to our hand which restricts us from taking up other works until the completion of work in progress. I made sure the ‘kankana’ was also tied to the hammer that I used for sculpting the idol.

For us, it was only ‘Satwik’ food that was allowed to be consumed. We were provided with sprouts every day, as we needed a lot of protein to go with our physical work. We were also taught yoga but when my first idol of Balak Ram was rejected, I stopped yoga as I was working in double shifts to carve another one.

SOM: You said that your first idol was rejected. Can you explain?

Arun Yogiraj: The first sculpture was 70 percent complete when a certain test conducted turned negative. Periodic tests are conducted to see the integrity of the rock. Owing to the rejection of the first idol, I lost three months.

Later, I started to sculpt another idol in September with another stone, also brought from Mysuru. Initially, I felt a bit nervous as I had lost time but on the other hand, I got clarity of what I needed to create.

Sculptor’s Studio in Mysuru

SOM: Tell us about your team which worked with you in Ayodhya.

Arun Yogiraj: I had my team members Nagaraju, Cheluvaraju, Siddaraju, Kumaresh and Jagadish, some of whom have worked with us for almost 30 years.

My team worked in batches, when one batch left after working on the pedestal, a new team would arrive to assist me in the design works.

SOM: The eyes of Balak Ram in some photos seemed to glow, is there some effect that you have given them?

Arun Yogiraj: There is no special effect given to the eyes. We apply ghee, honey and sugar to the eyes and cover them as part of the rituals. Some ghee and honey might have remained on the eyes on the day of consecration so maybe when they photographed it, light refraction may have given it a glow (laughs). On a serious note, we do not apply any chemicals, glass etc. It’s just an etched-stone effect.

SOM: Why did you use silver hammer & gold chisel to sculpt the eyes?

Arun Yogiraj: It is mentioned in Shilpashastra to use a silver hammer and golden chisel and a particular time (muhurta) is fixed for ‘Nethramilana’ (carving of eyes). In the case of Balak Ram, the muhurta was fixed by the head priest Ganesha Acharya.

Before sculpting the eyes, I took a dip in the Sarayu River, which was about 4-5 degrees Celsius, and visited the Hanuman Garhi (Hanuman Temple) before sculpting the eyes. We first inscribe the ‘beejakshara mantra’ on the uncarved blank eyes before we begin sculpting the eyes.

SOM: What is the actual height of the Balak Ram idol and what was the height and weight of the stone?

Arun Yogiraj: The height of the idol is 77 inches, 42 inches in width and it is 2-ft in thickness. The rock that was used was about 9½ ft in height and weighed 13,000 kgs. Now the idol weighs about 2,000 kgs.

SOM: Was there a regular inspection while you were working on the idol?

Arun Yogiraj: There were regular inspections being done for all three idols sculpted by different artists. The Committee Members were sensible as they used to visit all three sculptors without giving room for any suspicion of favouritism.

SOM: Apart from inspection by the Committee, we heard there was regular inspection by a monkey.

Arun Yogiraj: There were a lot of monkeys in Ayodhya near the studio where we were sculpting. But every day, a monkey would visit the studio between 5 pm and 6 pm and bang the door. I am not sure whether it was the same monkey though. I even have the video of the monkey roaming around in the studio. I don’t want to give it a connotation that it was a ‘divine visit.’ But all the same, it was an interesting coincidence.

SOM: Is there a copyright on Balak Ram? Can you produce miniatures to sell?

Arun Yogiraj: Actually, I told the Trust Members to copyright Balak Ram. Then MP Pratap Simha had the idea that if Ayodhya Trust can have the copyright and make miniatures of Balak Ram, it should tie up with the Karnataka Government to send black stone from Mysuru from which it can make these miniatures rendering them more authentic and worthy of the copyright.

Pratap Simha felt if this is done, then the Ayodhya Trust will get funds, sculptors will get continuous work, Karnataka will have a new revenue stream and Mysuru will also become famous as the Balak Ram miniature models made using the stone from Mysuru will be in millions of households across the nation and world.

Bringing Stones to Life

SOM: Now that you have achieved a great feat, there must be a lot of demand for your work. How are you managing it?

Arun Yogiraj: I have indeed been getting a lot of orders from across the world, especially from the USA and South Africa, both for idols and other works.

But I know my capacity and I cannot fulfil so many orders. So, I tell customers that it takes quite some time for me to complete a statue. If they are comfortable with that, then I take up the work else I provide them the contact of other artists. Also, it is good to have the work of different artists.

SOM: Are you running an institution to guide budding sculptors?

Arun Yogiraj: Yes, I am running a school called Bramharshi Kashyapa Shilpakala Shala, which now has 7 full-time students and during summer camps, children join us to learn line drawing, pottery and other arts.

I am planning to construct two additional rooms in my studio for the benefit of the students. Currently, I am not charging any fees because I want to give back to the profession which has given me so much.

SOM: Who should our readers contact if they are interested in learning sculpting?

Arun Yogiraj: Interested can contact my brother Yeshwanth on Mob: 99451-51505.

Making Mysuru proud…

For the foreseeable future, Arun Yogiraj will continue to enjoy widespread popularity as the man who sculpted the idol of Balak Ram. Despite his acclaim, Arun Yogiraj remains remarkably humble and transparent in his artistic approach, the qualities that undoubtedly contribute to his mastery.

Michelangelo, the great Italian sculptor, once said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Arun Yogiraj not only discovers it, he seems to almost bring it to life. He certainly brought a sense of divinity to the Balak Ram statue and in doing so, brought a lot of attention to Mysuru, reminding the world that our city still has it — artists and culture.

[Pic. by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]

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Mysore/Mysuru: Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji said that attractive photos lend more value to the news that is carried in newspapers.

He was speaking after releasing the New Year – 2024 digit and pictorial calendars brought out by Mysuru Photo Journalists Association (MPJA) at Patrakarthara Bhavan here this morning.

Pointing out that a captivating  photograph itself explains a thousand words, the Swamiji  lauded the Association for bringing out the calendars with rare and beautiful photographs that draws public attention.

Stressing on the need for Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) and the Mysuru Photo Journalists Association (MPJA) to work together for bringing out masterpieces of news coupled with photographs, he observed that the Association has paid heartfelt tributes to Dasara elephant Arjuna by carrying a photograph of the departed elephant on the front page of the calendar. 

Senior Photographer S. Thippeswamy and Senior Journalist B.S. Prabhurajan were felicitated while the city’s ‘Law Guide’ monthly magazine Founder-Editor H.N. Venkatesh and Hotelier Ravi Shastri were honoured with a memento on the occasion.

MLA H.S. Ganesh Prasad, MLC Dr. D. Thimmaiah, MDJA President S.T. Ravikumar, MPJA President Pragathi Gopalakrishna, General Secretary M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav, Vice-President S.R. Madhusudhan, Treasurer Nandan, Photo Journalists Krishnoji Rao, Chandru, Anurag Basavaraj (Basavanna), Nagesh Panathale, Udayashankar, Nishanth, Sriram, Hampa Nagaraj, Gavimatha Ravi, Anup and others were present.

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Mysore/Mysuru: The Cultural Capital and Heritage City of Mysuru played host to a spectacular New Year celebration last night, welcoming 2024 with renewed vigour and an atmosphere filled with joy, music and cultural festivities.

The Central Business District and more than 25 renowned hospitality brands transformed into a kaleidoscope of colours and lights, with festive decorations creating an enchanting backdrop for the diverse crowd that gathered on the streets, particularly around the Mysore Palace.

Amidst a rise in COVID-19 cases due to the JN.1 variant, a grand welcome was accorded to the New Year in Mysuru, with crowds cheering and their voices echoing through the air. Despite concerns, the revelry was not overshadowed and only a few individuals were seen wearing masks. Notably, Mysuru had also welcomed 2023 amid similar concerns over the Omicron variant.

As the clock struck midnight, wishes rained down in the scenic Mysore Palace premises, with tourists enjoying the colourful fireworks display from 12 midnight to 12.15 am. A noiseless spectacle, the fireworks brought the crowd together in awe.

Before that, the Police Band performed Karnataka and English Bands from 11 pm to 12 am, blending tradition and modernity. The 50-member band captivated music buffs, transporting them momentarily into the world of music.

15,000 people at Palace

As per data, over 15,000 people celebrated New Year at the Palace. At the event hosted by the Mysuru District Administration and the Mysuru Palace Board, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra and Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya and other officials cut the cake to mark the  arrival of 2024.

The illumination of the Palace with lakhs of incandescent bulbs added golden hues to the glory, while the outer premises were adorned with floral artworks. Crowds revelled in the beauty of every nook and corner of the vast Palace campus. The Winter Flower Show at the Palace concluded, attracting over five lakh visitors over the last nine days to witness artistic  floral arrangements.

Music and dance

The city witnessed diverse celebrations in hotels, pubs, and clubs. People exchanged greetings, wishing each other happiness throughout the year. The city’s vibrant spirit was evident in dance performances, comedy shows, DJ music and musical evenings in various venues.

Most bars, pubs and restaurants were pre-booked with no walk-ins, and staff diligently collected party-goers’ credentials as per Police instructions. Various establishments curated multiple performances, both indoors and outdoors, for the public to enjoy, employing drones and door frame metal detectors to ensure security.

This apart, people thronged bakeries, sweets shops to buy cakes, sweets and snacks to celebrate the New Year with families and friends at their homes. They even thronged markets to buy fruits and flowers to offer pujas on the occasion of New Year on Monday.

Over 1,500 personnel from various wings of Mysuru City Police led by Commissioner Ramesh Banoth, DCPs M. Muthuraj and S. Jahnavi kept a strict vigil on people and ensured safe and secure celebrations.

On the day leading up to the New Year, the city bustled with tourists exploring popular destinations such as the Mysuru Zoo, Chamundi Hill, KRS Dam and Brindavan Gardens. The city’s attractions, including the Palace and other landmarks, were crowded with visitors eager to soak in the cultural richness that Mysuru offers.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Achievers from various fields were felicitated during Kuvempu Jayanti organised at BJP Office at Chamaraja Mohalla in the city yesterday.

Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra photographer M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav, organic farmer Dileep Chikkanna Gowda, ex-serviceman Sridhar, woman pilot Tanushree Gowda, student Meghana and senior BJP worker Balasubramanya were among those felicitated during the birth anniversary of Rashtrakavi Kuvempu.

Delivering a special lecture on the occasion, Dr. D. Prabhu said: “Sarvodaya (progress of all), Samanvaya Poorna Drushti (realistic meaning of welfare) and Vijnana Prajne (Scientific consciousness) propagated by the poet laureate should be applied in the present days. With the sole aim of society’s progress, Kuvempu, who was popular as ‘Jagada Kavi, Yugada Kavi,’ wrote ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam,’ thus spreading the substance of darshana in the literary tradition.”

In his play ‘Shudra Tapasvi,’ Kuvempu spread the message of willingness as the only tool to bridge the gap between characters representing poor and the elite classes. He also clarified that caste divide won’t come in the way of devotion and spiritualism.

Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa presided over the programme.

Former MLC Siddaraju, former MUDA Chairman Yashaswi Somashekar, State BJP Vice-President M. Rajendra, State BJP Minority Morcha President Dr. Anil Thomas, former Chairmen of Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) Hemanth Kumar and Mirle Srinivas Gowda, former Corporator Prashanth Gowda, BJP District President Mangala Somashekar, party leaders Rajkumar, Giridhar, Kumargowda, L. Jagadish, Hema Nandish, Lakshmidevi, Govardhan, Vice-President of BJP Chamaraja Unit Kumar Gowda, Ravi, Girish, Neha and others were present.

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A breath-taking view of the illuminated Mysuru city along with the resplendent Mysore Palace clicked by Star of Mysore Photographer M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav from atop Chamundi Hill last night. The colourfully lit royal city is attracting Dasara tourists and local residents in hordes to witness the illumination.

The Gaali Mantapa or Watch Tower (ancient Stone Mantapa) atop Chamundi Hill has also been illuminated as part of Navarathri celebrations which conclude on Oct. 24. People have been thronging the hilltop in the evenings to enjoy the panoramic view of the dazzling city amidst the cool breeze and also clicking photos and selfies in front of the Mantapa.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) has selected Star of Mysore (SOM) Photographer M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav for ‘Senior Photojournalist late Netraraju Endowment Award’ and senior journalist Rajkumar Bhavasar for ‘Senior Journalist late Niranjan Nikam Endowment Award-2023.’

It may be mentioned here that S.T. Somashekar, the then District Minister, had presented Rs. 50,000 cheque each to the family of late Niranjan Nikam and Netraraju, during the Newspaper Day celebration. Based on the suggestion of the members of both the families of the deceased journalists, the MDJA has instituted two Endowment Awards in memory of the late scribes.

Now, the MDJA has selected Lakshminarayana Yadav and Rajkumar Bhavasar as the first recipients of the Awards, which will be conferred at a programme to take place in the last week of October, according to a press release from MDJA General Secretary M. Subramanya.

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By M.T. Yogesh Kumar

[Pics by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]

In the grand celebration of Dasara, the Flower Show at Kuppanna Park takes the spotlight as the second most popular event after the Vijayadashami procession. This spectacular event is meticulously organised to attract a large number of visitors and is a collaborative effort between the Mysuru District Horticulture Society and the Department of Horticulture.

Visitors eagerly anticipate the opportunity to witness the breathtaking floral displays and arrangements. This year’s execution and maintenance of the Dasara Flower Show has been allocated a record budget of Rs. 2.10 crore, with tasks awarded through four separate tenders to ensure perfection and serve as a major attraction.

Components of tender

Vijay Kumar, responsible for ticket collection at the entrance gate, has successfully secured a tender worth Rs. 1.02 crore. Suhail has won tenders for setting up amenities and food stalls at the amusement park, with a total value of Rs. 31.27 lakh and Rs. 50.15 lakh, respectively. Uma Shankar has obtained a tender for creating diverse designs, including a Chandrayaan-3 theme, at the Glass House in Kuppanna Park, valued at Rs. 28.95 lakh.

The Flower Show will commence on the first day of Navarathri, beginning on Oct. 15. Preparations for this event began three to four months in advance, involving the collection, planting and arrangement of various flower types in different Horticulture Department parks and gardens across Mysuru.

Over the past 3-4 days, intensive work has been underway at Kuppanna Park, Kukkarahalli Lake and at other places like the University of Mysore, ZP Office etc., where flower plants are being meticulously arranged. Various nursery gardens have begun contributing diverse flower plants from multiple locations in Mysuru, including Kuppanna Park, Gordon Park (near the old DC Office), Jaladarshini Guest House, Government Guest House, Dasara Exhibition Grounds and Curzon Park.

Over the past three to four months, the Horticulture Department has painstakingly cultivated more than 85,000 flower pots, encompassing over 40 varieties. These varieties include French Marigold, Dianthus, Verbena, Begonia, Dahlia, Fire Bush, Ornamental Kale, Zinnia, Vinca, Periwinkle, Salvia, Marigold and Sweet William. Many of these varieties boast more than 40 different types of flowering plants and the arrangement work is currently in progress across the city.

Chandrayaan-3 theme

One of the standout features of this year’s Flower Show is the Chandrayaan-3 theme, showcasing India’s lunar mission using pristine white Kolkata Chrysanthemum flowers. This unique display comprises an 18-foot high rocket and a rover resembling the Pragyan Rover, all crafted entirely from flowers. The framework is expertly shaped using sponges and flowers are affixed to create intricate designs. The Glass House display will be completed in the next two days, offering a captivating sight. Additionally, a selfie point featuring the preamble of the Indian Constitution in both Kannada and English is being prepared.

With India hosting the 13th ICC Cricket World Cup, the Flower Show adopts the theme ‘Win for India.’ In this section, cricket bats, balls and wickets made entirely from flowers will be on display. The work on creating cricket-themed floral exhibits is set to commence today.

Arrival of flowers from other States

To embellish Kuppanna Park, over 35,000 flower plants have been procured from various States and places, including Tamil Nadu, Ooty, Pune and West Bengal (Kolkata). On Oct. 11, the first consignment of flower plants arrived safely in trays and additional deliveries are expected today.

Employees and workers from the Horticulture Department have played an active role in arranging flowering plants in Kuppanna Park, categorising them based on their flowering cycles, which range from 40-day to 120-day to 60-day species. These plants have been meticulously planted well in advance to ensure a stunning display during the grand 10-day event.

Diligently preparing the floral arrangements, they are working tirelessly to ensure that the flower plants and displays are visually captivating. The Dasara Flower Show promises to be a visual extravaganza, characterised by unique themes and captivating arrangements that will leave a lasting impression on all who visit.

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A worker cleaning a chandelier at Durbar Hall of Mysore Palace on the eve of assembling of golden throne this morning, as Mysore Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya and others look on. [Pic. by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]

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Mysore/Mysuru: Marking the official commencement of grand Dasara-2023, ‘Gajapayana’, a procession of nine caparisoned elephants, led by Abhimanyu that will carry the Golden Howdah (Ambari), began from the elephant camp today. 

Gajapayana was set in motion at Veeranahosahalli Gate on the outskirts of Nagarahole National Park in Hunsur Taluk by District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, who performed puja to Abhimanyu and team in the presence of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, Hunsur MLA G.D. Harish Gowda, MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Mayor Shivakumar and a large number of officers.  

The event commenced in the auspicious Tula Lagna between 9.45 am and 10.15 am. Priest S.V. Prahallad Rao, entrusted with performing pujas for the Dasara elephants for several years, conducted the rituals.

The ceremonies began with Padapuja, where ‘Arishina Kumkuma’ was sprinkled at the feet of the elephants. Subsequently, the elephants were treated to ‘Modaka’ and ‘Pancha Phala’ (five fruits). The elephants are scheduled to reach the Forest Department’s Aranya Bhavan at Ashokapuram in city this afternoon as they are transported on trucks. They will receive a traditional welcome at Mysore Palace on Sept. 4. Leading the procession was Abhimanyu from the Mathigodu Elephant Camp, captured in the Hebballa Forest in Kodagu in 1970. Abhimanyu has been an integral part of Dasara since 2012 and served as the lead elephant for the music band carriage until 2015.

Accompanying Abhimanyu were eight other elephants: Dhananjaya, Gopi, Kanjan, Vijaya, Arjuna, Bhima, Varalakshmi and Mahendra. Kanjan was chosen at the last moment as the previously scheduled Parthasarathi is in musth and the Department had to replace him. 

Forest Minister Khandre released the list of all the 14 elephants that are participating in this year’s Dasara. Male elephants – Abhimanyu, Arjuna, Bhima, Mahendra, Dhananjaya, Gopi, Prashanth, Sugreeva, Kanjan and Rohith. Female elephants – Vijaya, Varalakshmi, Hiranya and Lakshmi. Today’s batch comprised seven males and two females. The rest of the elephants will form the second batch that will arrive at a later date. 

The elephants walked from the Veeranahosahalli Gate till the Nagapura Ashrama School accompanied by folk troupes, Dollu Kunitha, Veeragase, Gombe Kunitha, Patada Kunitha, Mangala Vadya and a team of saxophone players. Women and children accorded a ‘poornakumbha’ welcome. Over 15 dance troupes welcomed the elephants as they walked majestically. 

About 4,000 people, primarily tribals from Nagapura Tribal Hamlets 1, 2, 3 and 4, tribals and relatives from Pakshirajapura, Hunsur and Hanagodu attended the event and a festive atmosphere prevailed. Several tourists from Mysuru and Bengaluru also attended today’s ceremony. 

The Forest Department had arranged lunch at the Nagapura Ashrama School for over 4,000 people and an elaborate parking system was devised, unlike in the earlier years, people who have clout could bring their vehicles till Veeranahosahalli Gate. Today, all were required to walk over 2 kilometres and those who could not walk were taken in Police vans through the route. 

Gajapayana, once an elaborate event where elephants, mahouts, kavadis (caretakers) and their families covered a distance of over 80 to 100 kms on foot from the forests to Mysuru, has now become a symbolic event. In contemporary times, the elephants and their entourage march symbolically for a short distance before being transported in trucks.

Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra, SP Seema Latkar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force Rajiv Ranjan, PCCF of Project Tiger Mysuru G.V. Rangarao, Additional PCCF, Project Elephant Shashwati Mishra, Mysuru Circle Conservator of Forests Dr. Malathi Priya, DCF Mysuru (wildlife) Saurabh Kumar, APCCF A.K. Singh, DCF Mysuru (territorial) Basavaraju, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Director Harshakumar Chikkanaragund and Mysuru Zoo Executive Director D. Mahesh Kumar were present.

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Mysore/Mysuru: As part of the 184th World Photography Day celebration, the Mysore Photographic Association Trust had organised a photography competition in several categories.

City photographer G.S. Ravishankar has been awarded the first prize in both the wildlife and pictorial categories. He has also secured consolation prizes in the wildlife and pictorial sections, earning him a total of four awards.

Additionally, M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav, photographer from Star of Mysore, has received the consolation prize in the pictorial category.

Among the other winners in the wildlife category are N. Jayasheelarao (second place), S. Arjun (third place), S.N. Raghavendra and S.R. Madhusudhan (consolation prize). In the nature category, N. Jayasheelarao secured the first place, followed by K.G. Siddalingaprasad in second place and Dr. R. Satish in third place. The consolation prize in this category was awarded to Dr. M.G. Satish Kumar, M. Renu Priyadarshini and S.N. Raghavendra.

In the pictorial category, N.G. Sudheer earned the second prize and Naveen Kumar Puttur achieved the third place along with a consolation prize.

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