Balle, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, (Mysuru): Arjuna died in 2023, after being wounded in a fight with a wild tusker during a forest department’s elephant capture operation in Sakleshpur Taluk, Hassan district of Karnataka.
The mahout, who was associated with Arjun, is still in grief.
The forest department used to deploy trained elephants to capture the wild ones.
A team of journalists from Meghalaya and Tripura, currently on a press tour organised by Press Information Bureau, Union Ministry of Information,a paid tribute to late Arjuna, Karnataka’s legendary Dasara elephant, at its memorial in Balle, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. During the visit, the team met Vinu, Arjuna’s longtime mahout, who continues to feel the absence of his lifelong companion.
Arjuna sustained severe injuries, inflicted by the wild elephant, to was captured during the intense confrontation. Despite veterinary efforts, Arjuna succumbed to his injuries, ending one of the most illustrious lives in the history of Karnataka’s elephant heritage, said the officials.
Arjuna was revered for carrying the Golden Howdah (a carrier mounted on an elephant) during the Mysuru Dasara for several years. Known for his towering frame, calm demeanor, and regal presence, he was chosen multiple times for the prestigious role, earning admiration from lakhs of spectators and devotion from his caretakers.
Arjuna continued to support the forest department in operations such as elephant management, conflict mitigation and patrolling. His final assignment at Sakleshpur, meant to assist in the capture of a rogue elephant, turned fatal when the wild tusker unexpectedly attacked during the mission.
The visiting journalists were moved by Vinu’s continuing grief and the memorial erected in Arjuna’s honour. They listened as Vinu recounted stories of a shared life spanning over four decades, a bond built on mutual trust, care and understanding.
The incident also brought attention to the emotional toll on mahouts, those unsung heroes who dedicate their lives to these animals.
