Thousands throng Palace, Zoo during Vijayadashami

This Navarathri, Mysuru Palace and Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo), the two major tourists attractions in the city, attracted more than a lakh tourists.

As many as 94,169 people, including 93,583 Indians and 586 foreigners, visited the Palace between September 21 and September 29. Around 30,000 people had gathered on the Palace premises to be a part of the Jamboo Savari on Saturday.

While the footfall was high on September 24 with 15,928 people visiting the Palace, only 7, 089 people visited the Palace on the first day of Navarathri on September 21. The highest number of foreigners, 128, visited the Palace on September 23.

According to sources, 11,001 people, including troupes and participants of various Dasara activities, visited the Palace as well as the Zoo. As many as 10,662 people of ‘Raitha Dasara’, 149 passengers of ‘Palace on Wheels’ and 190 ‘Gold Card’ holders visited the palace between September 21 and September 29. In addition, 68 people, who booked tickets online too, visited the Palace.

The other major attraction in the city, Mysuru Zoo, generated a revenue of Rs 18.81 lakh on September 30 (Saturday) with a footfall of 31,722 people. Compared to last three years, this year’s footfall was high. In 2014 and 2015, around 29,863 people and 28, 587 people had visited the Zoo. Similarly in 2016, the footfall was 25,504.

Dasara celebration was a low key affair in 2015 and 2016 due to drought in the State. Poet K S Nissar Ahmed, who inaugurated Mysuru Dasara on September 21 atop Chamundi Hill, also paid a visit to the Zoo on Sunday.