Tusk injury or age? What kept Abhimanyu out of Dasara squad

Tusk injury or age? What kept Abhimanyu out of Dasara squad Published – August 19, 2026 08: 39 pm IST – MYSURU.

Key points

• Did the minor damage to its tusk lead to the exclusion of famed tusker Abhimanyu from the Mysuru Dasara 2026 jumbo squad?
• Demands are growing for the veteran tusker to be given a ceremonial farewell by allowing him to participate in this year's Jamboo Savari as a Nishane Aane.
• Forest Department authorities, even so, have denied that the tusk injury was the reason for his exclusion.
• Abhimanyu had suffered minor damage to one of his tusks at the Mattigodu elephant camp last month.
• There is additionally a precedent for retired elephants continuing to be associated with the Dasara procession.

Elephant Abhimanyu flanked by Lakshmi and Hiranya, carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari in the golden howdah during Jamboo Savari to bring the curtains down on Mysuru Dasara in 2024. Photo Credit: File Photo.

Questions are being raised over the decision after the retirement of the celebrated elephant. It had been a key member of the Dasara jumbo squad for over two decades.

Forest Department authorities, even so, have denied that the tusk injury was the reason for his exclusion. As forest rules prohibit the employ of elephants above the prescribed age for certain activities, they have maintained that Abhimanyu's age – he turned 60 in April this year – was the primary reason.

Abhimanyu had suffered minor damage to one of his tusks at the Mattigodu elephant camp last month. A small portion of the tusk was reportedly chipped when the elephant struck a tree. It remains unclear whether the damage had any bearing on the decision to leave him out of this year's squad, particularly as he was projected to carry the golden howdah for one final time before retirement.

Meanwhile, demands are growing for the veteran tusker to be given a ceremonial farewell by allowing him to participate in this year's Jamboo Savari as a Nishane Aane. Nevertheless, no decision has been taken so far, even as the Forest Department has finalised a list of 12 elephants for the Dasara festivities.

There is additionally a precedent for retired elephants continuing to be associated with the Dasara procession. Howdah elephants of the past, including Arjuna and Balarama, were retained in the Dasara squad even after their retirement from carrying the golden howdah.

This has prompted suggestions that Abhimanyu, too, could be accorded a similar status and allowed to take part in the procession as a ceremonial elephant.

With Abhimanyu having served in the Dasara jumbo squad for more than 25 years and successfully carried the golden howdah for six consecutive years, the demand for a grand farewell has gained momentum.

In short, tusk injury or age? What kept Abhimanyu out of Dasara squad is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.