The palace cannons were ready to meet the Dasar elephants

Police Commissioner Seema Latkar and senior officials perform a puja with cannons on the palace premises in Mysuru on Friday. | Photo credit: MA Sriram

The antique cannons housed in the Mysuru Palace were offered puja on Friday before the cannon firing exercise to acquaint the Dasara elephants with the sound of gunfire.

As part of the Dasara tradition, a 21-gun salute will be fired during Jamboo Savari after a grand procession is taken out from the palace premises on Vijayadashami.

Cannon firing practice is conducted in the open as part of the elephant familiarization program. It is conducted under the supervision of forest department officials and personnel from the City Armed Reserve (CAR).

The exercise is done several times to ensure that the elephants do not panic or get startled by the booming sound of the cannons during the Jamboo Savari.

Commissioner of Police Seema Latkar, Deputy Commissioners of Police Sundar Raj and Harsha Priyamvada and other officials attended the puja.

Published – 25 Sep 2026 21:08 IST