Animals trained to stay calm when 21-gun salute rent the air on Dussehra

Horses and elephants that will take part in Dussehra celebrations this year have been trained to stay calm when the sound of the 21-gun salute will rent the air on Vijayadashami day. The guns’ sound measures 120 db and they will be fired before the fabled Jamboo Savari begins.

The animals—11 elephants and 45 horses—will be standing near the guns when they are fired. “The guns’ sound disturbs animals if they are not accustomed to the sound. To allay their fears, we take them through this exercise,” said Dr Nagaraj, Mysore Palace veterinarian. The guns are fired on the premises of the Kote Maramma temple, where the Dussehra procession begins after offering poojas at the temple.

Veerabhadra, who loads gun powder into the 18th century guns, said: “These are blank shots. The shells do not go any further than a few feet but the sound is very loud. We measure the gun powder for the right effect before we load the gun.”

“We are taking extra care as in recent times, elephants have reacted strangely to loud sounds,” said a trainer in the Armed Reserve Police.