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Bahadur and
Bahadur's trainer Annayya. While crossing a road, the elephants were startled by a vehicle and in the chaos that ensued, the rider Annayya fell down to the ground, only to be stamped on the head by Arjuna. He was crushed to death. People opined that an elephant that had killed a man was unfit to carry the religious duties of Dasara. So Arjuna, while being as capable as Drona, was not given the honorable duty, though he did have the honour of carrying the
259:. Balarama weighed about 4590 Kilograms and he conquered the hearts of human beings by his majestic looks and the silence that he possessed. He was looked after at the Morkal Elephant camp at Nagarahole national park and his previous mahout Sannappa has retired and his new master Thimma has taken over.
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The 67-year-old elephant was critically ill and under the care of a veterinarians at the
Bhimanakatte elephant camp in the Hunsur range of the Nagarhole park. Despite the efforts of the medical team, Balarama’s condition deteriorated. According to reports, Balarama had been recovering from an ulcer
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Balarama was not the first choice to carry the Howdah after Drona. Elephant Arjuna, a 44-year-old bull weighing 5,600 kilograms (12,300 lb) was supposed to be the carrier of the howdah, but was sidelined for accidentally killing a Mahout. One day, Arjuna went to bathe in a river with elephant
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once before being replaced by
Balarama. Balarama had been rested from the duty of carrying the Golden Howdah due to his reducing weight and has been succeeded by Arjuna. Balarama led the procession as the 'nishane aane' or the lead elephant.
229:. A very silent bull (against the norm for elephants), he was said to be an introvert, and had to have special training so he could withstand the firing of cannons that occurs during the festival.
201:. Of the many (about 16) elephants participating, Balarama was one of the star attractions when he carried on his back the sacred idol of goddess
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Balarama's Mahout
Sannappa once refused to mount Balarama after his family were stopped by the police from watching him ride during
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in his mouth but the veterinarian treating him suspected that he may have been suffering from tuberculosis. He died on 7 May 2023.
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thirteen times between 1999 and 2011. Balarama was a bull born about 1958 and was accompanied in the procession by other
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in the 750 kilograms (1,650 lb) golden howdah on the auspicious 10th day of Dasara celebrations.
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Balarama refused food given to him by anybody other than his
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Balarama was captured in 1987 in the
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294:"Arjuna to carry golden howdah this year"
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318:Kumar, R. Krishna (15 August 2014).
292:Bennur, Shankar (20 October 2012).
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155:2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
411:News article from Mysoresamachar
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453:Individual elephants in India
406:Colour photo and news article
345:"An elephant never forgotten"
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16:Asian elephant (c. 1958–2023)
320:"Know your Dasara elephants"
273:List of individual elephants
181:– 7 May 2023) was the lead
71:Bheemanakatte Elephant camp
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384:Balarama: A Royal Elephant
388:Ted & Besty Lewin
438:1950s animal births
392:Lee & Low Books
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443:2023 animal deaths
448:Culture of Mysore
400:978-1-60060-265-8
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95:Years active
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367:India Today
179: 1956
160:Named after
113:Predecessor
76:Nation from
57: 1956
432:Categories
423:Udayavaani
329:22 October
303:22 October
279:References
221:region of
84:Occupation
67:7 May 2023
324:The Hindu
298:The Hindu
223:Karnataka
217:, in the
215:Somwarpet
123:Successor
98:1999–2011
267:See also
183:elephant
172:Balarama
164:Balarama
22:Balarama
209:History
185:of the
90:carrier
28:Species
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257:Mahout
250:Dasara
219:Kodagu
152:Height
144:Weight
139:Thimma
137:Mahout
127:Arjuna
234:Drona
133:Owner
117:Drona
79:India
396:ISBN
331:2015
305:2015
63:Died
50:Born
45:Male
42:Sex
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