About two kilometers off the main road, along a rough mud road that winds through the open stretches of Dabbalikatte forest in Sakaleshpura Taluk of Hassan districta large figure emerges. As one approaches, for a brief moment, it feels as if a living elephant stands silently before you.
The life-size memorial is of Arjuna, the elephant that was once his face Mysuru Dasara’s the famous Jamboo Savari.
Built over his burial site, the memorial is enveloped in greenery and silence. But the echo of ceremonial drums, the measured steps of Arjuna carrying the Golden Howdah, the applause of thousands and the rescue operations he led deep within the forests of the state seem to still linger.
Standing 10 meters tall and 13 feet tall, the sculpture, created by sculptor Dhananjaya, recreates Arjuna with incredible realism.
While some stop to photograph the sculpture, others fold their hands in quiet reverence. Parents tell their children the story of Arjuna. But for many, this is more than one’s vacation spot ELEPHANT; a place where memories stay.
Almost two and a half years have passed since Arjuna’s death, but the love people have for him remains undiminished.
Arjuna was no ordinary elephant.
Life size sculpture of Arjuna.
Many elephants have carried the ‘Golden Howdah’ in the history of Mysuru Dasara, but only a handful have become part of the public imagination. Arjuna was one of them.
When Arjuna succeeded Balarama as the chosen elephant to carry the Golden Howdah, he became the face of Mysuru Dasara’s Jamboo Savari. Between 2012 and 2019, Arjuna held the Golden Howdah eight times. His calm and dignified walk during the procession drew the admiration of thousands of people lining the streets. After offering prayers to Goddess Chamundeshwari, many devotees also folded their hands before Arjuna.
Beyond the spectacle of Dasara, Arjuna’s life had another side. In the forests, Arjuna was one of the most trusted Kumki elephants of the Forest Department. Kumkits are meticulously trained to perform specialized tasks in wildlife conservation, including conflict mitigation. Arjuna played a key role in operations to capture rogue wild elephants and was often at the forefront of missions that required immense strength, discipline and faith. Forest officials and mahouts still speak of those operations with admiration.
His life came to a tragic end on December 4, 2023, in the Yeslur forest region of Hassan district. During an operation to capture a wild elephant, Arjuna was mortally wounded in an encounter with a herd. The news of his death left people across Karnataka grief-stricken.
A family connection
Arjuna carrying the golden Howdah during the Dasara 2019 procession in Mysuru.
“Arjuna was like a member of our family. He shared a close bond with everyone at home. After we lost him, it felt like our family had lost a part of itself,” says Arjuna’s mahout, Vinu.
“Arjuna is not dead. He is still alive in the hearts of thousands of people like us. We can never forget him,” adds Vinu.
After repeated appeals from the public, the Forest Department built a memorial over Arjuna’s burial site. The foundation stone for the memorial was laid in 2024 and officially inaugurated in May 2026. Today, it is gradually emerging as a place where people visit to pay their respects.
Getting there, however, is not easy. Visitors must turn off the main road and travel along an unpaved forest road. Tables are few and far between and visitor facilities remain limited.
Today, Arjuna is remembered not just as an elephant, but as an enduring chapter in the history of Mysuru Dasara – the elephant that carried the Golden Horde with calm dignity, served the forests with unwavering determination and continues to live in the hearts of thousands.
