Mysore: Balarama, the elephant, which carried the 'Golden Howdah' also called 'Ambari', 14 times during the world-famous Mysuru Dasara festival, died on Sunday after a brief illness. Balarama was 67 years old and the elephant was suffering from tuberculosis. Balarama had set a record by carrying the 'Golden Howdah' 14 times during the Mysuru Dasara festival.
The 67-year-old elephant had been critically ill and was under the care of veterinarians at the Bhimanakatte elephant camp in the Hunsur range of the Nagarhole park. Balarama had been recovering from an ulcer in its mouth for 10 days after the endoscopy report, it was found that it was suffering from tuberculosis.
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A team of veterinarians provided on-site treatment for Balarama. Balarama, the elephant, which was responding to treatment, had been without food and water for the past week. Doctors confirmed that the ailing elephant died on Sunday evening. Sources in the forest department confirmed that the post-mortem will be conducted after which the last rites will be performed.
Balarama was born in 1958 and was the lead elephant of the world-famous Mysore Dasara procession and carried the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari on the fabled 'Golden Howdah' 14 times between 1999 and 2011. Balarama was one of the star attractions when he carried on his back the sacred idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari in Golden Howdah on the auspicious 10th day of Dasara celebrations. It may be recalled that Balarama was captured in 1987 in the Kattepura forest near Somwarpet, in the Kodagu region of Karnataka.
