Shivamogga Dasara, one of the most famous Dasara festivals in Karnataka after the famous Mysuru Dasara, got a rude awakening when the elephant Somanna was scared during the Jamboo Savari procession. The elephant was not even seeing the crowd in large numbers as he was scared and ran away.
The procession was cancelled, and all of us who were waiting in line to see the festival (the devotees and the people of the city) had to leave quickly after the incident. The silver howdah was given to Somanna for the first time during the Shivamogga Dasara procession, and so the elephant was scared, and the procession was cut short.
The Jamboo Savari started in the afternoon from the place in front of the historic Kote Shivappa Nayaka Palace and moved towards Allamaprabhu Maidan. Hundreds of people had taken to the road to watch the ceremonial procession that is so important in Shivamogga Dasara.
There is so much culture and religious tradition, and big public events going on at the festival. But Somanna, who was carrying the silver howdah, suddenly got scared and rushed away from the procession. The elephant's sudden action disrupted the way the procession was moving, and the people watching were scared. The Jamboo Savari was terminated at the midpoint of the journey in order to prevent further problems and to keep public safety.
Somanna damaged a car and around two to three motorcycles as he ran away from the procession line, it was said. The damage was so widespread and far-reaching that the Chamundeshwari howdah on the elephant collapsed and suffered serious injury. The silver howdah was one of the most important ceremonial elements of the procession, and its damage was serious.
People who were gathered to witness the traditional event were shocked. People in the crowd and the authorities at the venue had to manage the elephant and avoid any further damage.
Forest department personnel worked hard to control Somanna after he moved away from the procession route. The elephant was finally restrained by a tranquilising agent, the report said. Somanna travelled some distance before coming back to the area. The Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police also went to the site and monitored the situation.
The reason behind the disruption and the damage to the area were discussed. The premature cancellation of the procession was a great blow to people who had come to the annual spectacle. Details of the reasons that frightened the elephant and the extent of the damage would be necessary to understand the event in full detail.
This year’s Shivamogga Dasara Jamboo Savari also attracted attention because of the elephant that was to carry the ceremonial howdah for the Shivamogga Dasara celebrations. For several years, the responsibility has been given to an elephant named Sagar. But the organisers had given it to Somanna this year.
This was therefore Somanna's first time carrying the silver howdah. The responsibility was an important shift in the old way of doing things, and the elephant had to lead the procession. However, the sudden incident distracted the celebrations and raised questions about the elephant's behaviour during the event. The incident also exposed the challenge of managing elephants in large public gathering situations where noise, crowds, and unexpected disturbances can take place.
Shivamogga Dasara is very significant in Karnataka, and it is packed with people wanting to come and see its traditional procession and festive atmosphere. That is why the Somanna incident has become such a big topic of discussion among people since the Jamboo Savari had to be stopped before it was completed.
Forest personnel did manage to control the elephant, but the damage done to the vehicles and the howdah, along with the panic of the crowd, caused the festival to go off the rails. And so the priority after any such incident is the safety of the public, the handlers, and the elephant. The incident reminds us that elephant management in a crowded festival setting needs care and the most up-to-date personnel and enforcement of crowd control measures for large public celebrations.
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