Dasara flower show to be held at Kuppanna Park this year onwards

The new venue will help avoid traffic pile up near Palace

 In order to avoid traffic pile up and provide ample space for more variety of flowers, one of the attractions during Dasara festival ‘flower show’ organised by Horticulture department will be shifted to the historical Kuppana park this season.

Every year the flower show is held at Curzon park abutting Mysore Palace, resulting in heavy traffic pile up in front of Kote Anjaneya Temple. The City Police department expressed its unhappiness about the uncontrollable traffic menace to the Horticulture department, which later approached the Mysore City Corporation, custodian of Kuppana park to hand over the park to them.

The park, also know as Nishad Bhag, which was in a mess for decades, wears a new look as it was renovated two years ago with Chief Minister’s fund of Rs 2 crore. A musical fountain and bandstand have come up, and the surrounding area has been illuminated with colourful lights.

Though the Horticulture department appealed to the MCC to hand over the park last Dasara itself, it wasn’t possible to due mixed opinions from the MCC officials and other wings. “However, after a round of talks with the civic body, they handed over the park to the department officially to organise the flower show,” said M S Raju, Senior Assistant Director, Horticulture department. He said that the preparation work for the upcoming Dasara flower show was already in process. The gardeners at the park are making all the arrangements to organise this year’s flower show in a grand manner.

The park which is spread over 12 acres, adding beauty to the heritage city, was built many years ago to provide aesthetic beauty of the Mysore Palace. The glass-topped bandstand has been intricately designed giving it an aura of its own. 

The dome of the bandstand is endowed with traditional paintings and depicts Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Lord Vishnu. Mysore style paintings have been painted using vegetable colours, which has allowed the Dashavatara panels to retain their freshness and splendour.

According to Raju, the venue will be free from traffic problem as there is enough parking space outside the park, and more flowers can be exhibited.

Though the park was renovated two years ago, MCC did not keep it open for public. MCC also planned to conduct police band show every week, which was prevalent fifty years ago in heritage city parks and impose entry fee, but that had also failed to take off.