• Siddegowda of Pirangi Dal suffered severe burns when a flame of fire hit gun powder bag during cannon firing practice on the eve of Jumboo Savari-2023

I am bereft of insurance amount for being unable to provide adequate information to claim the benefit during the course of treatment. I have borrowed loan to build a house on small piece of land. I was about to recover financially, when the mishap dealt a blow again. The pain is so unbearable that, the itching sensation aggravates on scratching. However, it can be addressed with laser treatment, but the dire financial condition I am in, has been eluding me from availing laser treatment. Hence I have to keep the fingers moving often or else it will go numb. I don’t know from where came the flame, 2-kg gun powder I was carrying in the bag burst in no time. Our focus will be entirely on cannon firing, as 21-gun salute should be completed in 52 seconds. All due to my bad time.” —Siddegowda

Mysore/Mysuru: Four months have elapsed since Dasara-2023 was over in October, but a Police here continues to endure the pain he had to suffer for no fault of his, with neither any succour from higher officials nor the Government to bail him out from the pathetic situation he is in now.

Siddegowda, a resident of RS Naidu Nagar in city, is attached to City Armed Reserve (CAR) Police force and is a part of Pirangi Dal that handles the arduous task of cannon firing for 21-gun salute. The gun salute is offered to the presiding deity Goddess Chamundeshwari, placed in 750-kg Golden Howdah, during Jumboo Savari every year.

Call it a quirk of fate or his bad luck, Siddegowda was among several personnel of Pirangi Dal that was involved in the final leg of rehearsal on the eve of Jumboo Savari on Oct. 23, when a flame of fire hit the bag of gun powder Siddegowda was holding, causing a burst that left him severely injured with burn injuries affecting his back, right forearm and chest. He underwent treatment at the hospital for a month, before returning home where he is convalescing since then.

Along with the pain that refuses to die soon, Siddegowda has been finding it difficult to meet the mounting expenses towards his treatment. He has been serving Police Department for the last 24 years, with almost 15 years in Pirangi Dal.

While a major chunk of the monthly salary goes towards EMI for housing loan, he has to manage the family with a meagre amount of Rs. 4,000 he could save from his salary every month, says a relative of Siddegowda.

Besides, he is in dire need of monetary help to meet the expenses towards laser treatment to regain the strength of a portion of the body afflicted by burns, as every treatment session requires not less than Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,000.

Even though those on Pirangi Dal are provided with insurance cover, Siddegowda cannot claim the amount for the norms of 40 percent burns and above to be entitled for availing benefit. According to a circular issued by the Government in 2014, on duty Police personnel involved in maintaining law and order and prevention of criminal activities are liable for compensation on humanitarian grounds. The compensation of Rs. 2 lakh shall be provided in case of serious injuries and Rs. 10 lakh for permanent disability. But still, the relief eludes Siddegowda, who suffers from numbness in his right forearm, if he fails to keep it in motion at the break of every half-an-hour.

Being the sole breadwinner, Siddegowda feels it difficult to meet monthly expenses of the family. The higher ups in the Department have been promising to facilitate due compensation, but the assurance is yet to see the light of the day.

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By S. Kenneth Shishir

The tradition of firing cannons, initiated by the East India Company in the early 18th century with the 21-gun salute — the highest honour bestowed upon rulers or top-ranking officers — is still observed today.

This practice is a mark of reverence to the presiding deity of Mysuru, Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari, during the Jumboo Savari on Vijayadashami Day.

Executing the firing of the traditional cannons, housed in the Mysore Palace, demands both skill and courage.

The gunner, responsible for igniting the fuse and the staff from the City Armed Reserve (CAR) force endure the thunderous sound of these cannons. The cannons are used to perform a 21-round salute within a minute, with each cannon firing three rounds, from seven cannons totalling 21 rounds.

Among the esteemed gunners is 77-year-old Anthony Cruz, a retired member of the CAR with a service record spanning over 39 years.

A resident of Raghavendranagar in Mysuru, Anthony Cruz joined the Dismounted Company (now City Armed Reserve) Police force in 1966 as a Constable. He retired on May 3, 2005, holding the rank of Head Constable.

Notably, Anthony was enlisted into the ‘Pirangi Dal’ (cannon firing squad) in 1996-97, where he served as a gunner for 28 years until 2004.

Anthony Cruz claimed that initially, the gunpowder for the cannons was sourced from London, and later, it was procured locally from Ballari and Arasikere in Hassan. Emphasising the importance of security, he noted that stringent 24×7 measures were in place to safeguard the gunpowder.

Highlighting the cannon inventory, Anthony mentioned the presence of three short-barrel and four long-barrel cannons. However, during Dasara, only three cannons were utilised to perform the 21-gun salute.

The boom sound

Anthony recounted the tradition of firing 21 shots near Mysore Palace and an additional 21 rounds at the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantap. The cannons used near the Palace were then transported in the Dasara procession (Jumboo Savari) to Bannimantap, where another 21 shots were fired.

He reminisced about the heightened intensity of the cannon sounds during his tenure, stating that the current cannons produce sound levels almost three times lower. “My heart used to skip a beat to the booming sounds of the cannons as the intensity of the sound was almost triple than the sound produced by the cannons now.”

In consideration of the safety of the staff during cannon firing, precautionary measures were taken. Two fire-resistant dungarees (dangri), typically worn by firefighters, were procured from Mandya and Hassan, as the Mysuru unit had only one. These measures aimed to mitigate the risk of accidental fires during the cannon firing ceremonies.

Communication through flags

During that era, due to absence of sufficient wireless equipment, communication was facilitated through use of flags, which were manoeuvred in various directions. Anthony recalled that 21 shots were fired in two minutes when the English Band played the National Anthem.

Initially, the responsibility for the cannons rested with the Dismounted Company, which executed the firing during Dasara at Gun House. Subsequently, cannon firing operations moved from inside Mysore Palace premises to the area outside the Palace, which is now utilised as a parking lot.

Reflecting on a noteworthy incident, Anthony shared an experience when a 21-gun salute was halted midway. During the visit of the then President of India, Giani Zail Singh, a 21-gun salute was ordered in his honour. However, after firing 18 shots, the salute was abruptly stopped as the President expressed discomfort.

Anthony, who was also a sportsperson, boasted of winning numerous prizes in various sports meets, earning commendation from his senior officers.

No health benefits

Despite his fitness during his service, he now faces respiratory problems attributed to prolonged exposure to gunpowder smoke over his 28 years of cannon-firing duty. Anthony lamented the financial burden of medical treatment, as retired Policemen do not receive health benefits.

Additionally, Anthony served in the Special Task Force (STF) formed to apprehend the notorious sandalwood smuggler and poacher Veerappan.

Despite being recommended for the President’s Medal eight times during his 39 years of service, Anthony expressed regret at not making it to the list, attributing it to a lack of recognition from the authorities.

Presently, he resides with his wife Mary Elizabeth and daughters Irudaya Mary and Sagaya Mary at Raghavendranagar in Mysuru.

Rubbing shoulders with dashing Kabir Bedi

Anthony Cruz seized a unique opportunity to capture a photograph with the charismatic Kabir Bedi when the Bollywood actor visited Srirangapatna for the filming of the 1996 television series, ‘The Return of Sandokan.’  Anthony, along with fellow Police personnel, was assigned to provide security to the actor and the crew throughout the shooting period.

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12 Dasara elephants, 29 horses from Mounted Police force take part

Mysore/Mysuru: The third and final round of cannon firing drill rehearsal to acclimatise Dasara elephants and Mounted Police horses to the booming sound of cannons was held successfully at the Dasara Expo parking lot on M.G. Road yesterday morning.

Out of 14 Dasara elephants in Captain Abhimanyu’s team, 12 elephants took part and 29 horses from Mounted Police also took part in the final round. Dasara elephants Rohit and Hiranya, who had panicked during the previous rehearsal, were not brought to the rehearsal.

Seven cannons were used to fire 21 shots in three rounds by the Pirangi Dal personnel, during which elephants Sugreeva, Prashanth and Dhananjaya panicked a bit in the first round but remained calm later.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Saurabh Kumar, who spoke on the occasion, said that the final round of cannon firing drill was held successfully. He said that all 14 Dasara elephants were fit and healthy and added that Abhimanyu is all set to carry the 750-kg Golden Howdah during Jumboo Savari.

“Care is being taken to keep the elephants healthy and all are ready to take part in the grand finale,” the DCF added.

A large crowd had gathered to have a glimpse of Dasara elephants and to witness the drill.

Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) M. Muthuraj (Law and Order) and S. Jahnavi (Crime and Traffic), Range Forest Officer (RFO) Santosh Hugar, Veterinarian Dr. Mujeeb Rehman, elephant caretakers Rangaraju and Akram, Mounted Police personnel and others were present. 

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First timer Rohit, a few horses panic; new elephants made to stand in front row

Mysore/Mysuru: To acclimatise Dasara elephants to the booming sound of cannons, a firing drill was held at the Dasara Exhibition parking lot this morning. This is the first phase of the cannon drill to the elephants.

All the 14 Dasara elephants were led from the Mysore Palace to the Dasara Expo parking lot where new elephants Rohit, Lakshmi, Hiranya and Kanjan were made to stand in the front row with experienced elephants behind them. Except for Rohit and a few horses from the Mounted Police force which panicked, none of the other pachyderms displayed fear or anxiety during the first 21-round cannon firing. Rohit’s Mahout and Kavadi calmed him down while those riding horses calmed their steeds.

Seven cannons were used to fire 21 shots in three rounds and about 1.250 kg gunpowder was used to fire each shot. Two more rehearsals will be held at the Dasara Expo parking lot and the final rehearsal will be held at the parking lot near Varaha Gate of Mysore Palace.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Saurabh Kumar said that the first rehearsal of cannon firing was successfully held as per the tradition.

Elephants, which are participating in Dasara for the first time, were made to stand in the front row to observe their behaviour and except for one elephant, the behaviour of all elephants especially the experienced pachyderms was exceptionally good, the DCF added.

DCF Saurabh said that two more rehearsals will be held and added that all the elephants were fit and healthy.

Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCPs) M. Muthuraj (Law and Order) and S. Jahnavi (Crime and Traffic), Range Forest Officer (RFO) Santosh Hugar, Mounted Police personnel, Veterinarian Dr. Mujeeb Rehman, elephant caretakers Rangaraju and Akram and others were present.

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Mysore/Mysuru: To make sure that there will be no glitches and mistakes during the 21 round cannon salute in one minute, when VIPs shower flowers on the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, placed inside the Golden Howdah on Vijayadashami Day (Oct. 24), a team of Police personnel from the City Armed Reserve (CAR), who are part of the Pirangi Dal Unit, conducted a dry practice of cannon firing in the Mysore Palace premises this morning. The dry run practice began yesterday and will continue for a week.

The Pirangi Dal Unit comprises 30 staff including four Assistant Reserve Sub-Inspectors (ARSIs), seven Armed Head Constables (AHCs) and 19 Armed Police Constables (APCs).

As part of the dry run, these cannons were pulled a bit further from Aane Baagilu for the ritual and a step-by-step practice was followed as per the established tradition.

After a few days of practice, the Police and the Forest Departments will select a date for the actual cannon firing drill using gun powder. The staff of Pirangi Dal will be covered with insurance.

Out of the 11 Palace cannons, seven cannons will be used to give 21-round cannon salute. Five personnel are deployed to each cannon and a total of 21 rounds has to be fired in a minute and each cannon will fire three rounds making it 21 rounds from a total of seven cannons.

The 21-round cannon salute will take place when the Police Band plays the National Anthem and when the VIPs shower flowers on the idol of the Goddess inside the 750 kg weighing Golden Howdah, which is fastened on the back of Howdah carrying elephant Abhimanyu.

ACP Ashok Kumar, RSI Suresh and all the 30 Pirangi Dal staff were present during the dry drill practice.

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• Dhananjaya, Bheema to take part in Palace rituals
• Mahendra to carry howdah in Srirangapatna Dasara

Mysore/Mysuru: The third and final round of cannon firing drill to acclimatise Dasara elephants and Mounted Police horses to the booming sound of cannons was held successfully at the Dasara Expo parking lot on M.G. Road this noon.

Out of 14 Dasara elephants, 12 elephants took part in the drill. As Lakshmi had given birth it remained inside the Palace and Chaitra too did not participate as she is with Lakshmi. Thirty-eight horses from the Mounted Police force took part in the drill. These 12 elephants and 38 horses will participate in the Jumboo Savari.

The 12 Dasara jumbos were brought through Jayamarthanda Gate of the Palace and entered Dasara Expo premises through the main entrance from where they were led to the parking lot. 

City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta said that final round of cannon firing drill was held successfully.  DCF Dr. V. Karikalan, who too spoke, said that Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has asked for Dasara jumbos Dhananjaya and Bheema for Palace rituals.

Pointing out that five Dasara jumbos have been sought for Srirangapatna Dasara, he said that they had not received any communication from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Office regarding the number of elephants, but we are ready to send three elephants.

Mahendra will be carrying the howdah at Srirangapatna Dasara as he has undergone the training.

Conservator of Forests (CF) Dr. Malathi Priya, DCF K. Kamala Karikalan, RFO Santosh Hoogar, Veterinarian Dr. Mujeeb and others were present during the drill.

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• Venue shifted to Dasara expo parking lot on request from Mysore royal family
• 12 Dasara jumbos, 38 Mounted Police horses take part in the exercise

Mysore/Mysuru:  The second round of cannon firing exercise for Dasara elephants and horses to familiarise them with the loud sound of cannons was held successfully at the new venue — Dasara Expo parking lot on M.G. Road — this afternoon.

The cannon firing drill, which used to be held at the parking lot, near the Varaha Gate of Mysore Palace, was changed today following a request from the Mysore royal family as the huge compound wall of the Palace was developing cracks.

Out of the 14 Dasara elephants, 12 Dasara jumbos led by ‘Fearless’ Abhimanyu and 38 Mounted Police horses took part in the cannon firing drill today. As Lakshmi has given birth to a calf, she was relaxing in the Palace. Chaitra also did not take part in the exercise as she was giving company to Lakshmi.

All the 12 Dasara elephants, which were led through Jayamarthanda Gate of the Palace, entered the Dasara Exhibition Grounds through the main entrance and reached the parking lot where they were made to stand in a line. Thirty eight Mounted Police horses were also brought to the venue and were made to stand close to the elephants so that they could get used to the elephants and the elephants could get themselves familiarised with the horses.

As usual, 21 rounds were fired using seven cannons during which Parthasarathy, the youngest in the Dasara jumbo squad expressed a little fear in the first round but stood still during two more rounds. The rest of the Dasara elephants and Mounted Police horses remained calm  during the firing exercise.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. V. Karikalan said that the second round of cannon firing drill was held successfully at Dasara Expo parking lot this afternoon.

Pointing out that the elephants did not budge or expressed fear to the cannon sound, which is a good development, the DCF said that the venue was changed on request from Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the Mysore Royal family.

Stating that Lakshmi cannot be left alone as she had given birth recently, Dr. Karikalan said that another female elephant Chaitra is left with Lakshmi for her company and hence Chaitra could not participate in today’s cannon firing drill.

When asked why Chaitra was chosen to be left with Lakshmi? the DCF said that as Lakshmi and Chaitra belong to the same elephant camp, they know each other well and hence Chaitra was left with Lakshmi.

City Armed Reserve (CAR) DCP Shivaraju, elephant caretakers, mahouts and kavadis and others were present.

The third round of cannon firing exercise will be held on Sept. 23 at the Dasara Expo parking lot on M.G. Road. 

KSPCB officials measure decibels produced by cannons

Officials from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) measuring the decibels produced by the booming sound of the cannons using the hand-held decibel measuring gadget. The sound was measured to see whether the booming sound is within the permissible limits.

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38 horses of Mounted Police too take part

Mysore/Mysuru: With just a few days left for the commencement of Dasara festivities, the first round of cannon firing practice to familiarise the Dasara jumbos and horses to the booming sound cannons was held this noon at the parking lot near Varaha Gate of Mysore Palace.

All 14 Dasara elephants, led by Howdah Elephant Abhimanyu, were taken to the parking lot by their Mahouts and Kavadis, so also 38 horses from the Mounted Police force. These 38 horses will be taking part in the Jumboo Savari on Oct. 5.

The elephants and the horses were made to stand in a line and seven cannons were used to fire 21 rounds by 38 staff of the Pirangi Dal. Three rounds were fired from each cannon using 1.2 kg gunpowder for each round per cannon. These seven cannons are used to fire 21 rounds (three each at a time) and the practice is held for three days for the grand finale where the 21 cannon salute is accorded soon after the inauguration of Jumboo Savari on Vijayadashami Day.

Except for a couple of body jerks by first-timers Sugreeva, Srirama and Parthasarathy,  none of the pachyderms displayed fear or anxiety during the first 21-round cannon firing practice today. Three minutes gap was given between each round so that the animals could relax and also to observe their behaviour. Cannon firing was witnessed by a large crowd including tourists, who had come to see the Mysore Palace and other tourist spots. Apart from tourists, many Mysureans too came to the venue to have a glimpse.

City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr. V. Karikalan and others were present.

The second round of cannon firing exercise will be held on Sept. 16 and the third round will be held on Sept. 23.

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Dry run to prepare for 21-round cannon salute on Vijayadashami day

Mysore/Mysuru: To ensure that there are no mistakes during the 21 round cannon salute when VIPs shower flowers to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, placed inside the Golden Howdah on Vijayadashami Day (Oct. 5), a team of Police personnel from the City Armed Reserve (CAR), who are part of the Pirangi Dal Unit, conducted a dry practice of cannon firing in the Mysore Palace premises yesterday.

Out of the 11 Palace cannons, seven cannons will be used to give 21-round cannon salute. Five personnel are deployed to each cannon and a total of 21 rounds has to be fired in a minute and each cannon will fire three rounds making it 21 rounds from  a total of seven cannons.

The 21-round cannon salute will take place during the Police Band playing the National Anthem and when the VIPs shower flowers on the idol of the Goddess inside the 750 kg weighing Golden Howdah, which is fastened on the back of Howdah carrying elephant Abhimanyu.

As part of the dry run, these cannons are taken out annually for the ritual and a step-by-step practice is followed as per the established tradition where the cannons are first oiled and cleaned for a couple of days.

Later, the cannons along with the carts are brought to the open ground for practicing the gunpowder loading and the actual firing process.   

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Mysore/Mysuru: The second round of cannon firing drill was held successfully with Dasara elephants exhibiting normal behaviour at the parking lot area near Varaha Gate of Mysore Palace this morning. Apart from Vikrama, all seven Dasara elephants — Abhimanyu, Ashwathama, Dhananjaya, Kaveri, Chaitra, Lakshmi and Gopalaswamy — and also 24 horses from the Mounted Police force, took part in the cannon firing drill.

Though the quantity of gunpowder was increased today, the elephants showed no fear and stood still during the firing drill. No elephants were tied today.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. V. Karikalan said that the second round of cannon firing drill was held successfully today morning and the elephants behaved normally.

He further said that the weight of the elephants has increased as they are put on special diet and added that the third round of the firing drill will be held on Oct. 8.

Dhananjaya replaces Vikrama as Pattada Aane

Vikrama, who has been participating as Pattada Aane (Royal Elephant) and taking part in Dasara rituals performed by the royal family inside the Palace since 2015, will stay away from Dasara festivities this year as he is in musth.

DCF Dr. V. Karikalan, speaking to Star of Mysore said that Dhananjaya, who has been participating in Dasara since three years, will be the Pattada Aane and he will be accompanied by Gopalaswamy for the rituals.

Dr. Karikalan said that a few elephants show anger during the initial stages of musth, while a few show anger during the last stages. Vikrama was in musth during April-May and as he his showing anger during the last stages of musth he has been kept away from both weight training and cannon firing drill.

He is being taken for walks daily and is responding to the calls from his mahout Putta and Kavadi Hemanth Kumar, the DCF said.

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