After days and nights of cultural extravaganza, Mysuru ready for fest finale

After a cultural extravaganza of 30 major events at 20 venues, the heritage city of Mysuru is all set for the Dasara Jamboo Savari procession on Thursday. 

The grand finale, featuring 14 elephants, 61 cultural troupes and 58 tableaux from across Karnataka, depict various themes, mainly Mahatma Gandhi as it is happening on Gandhi Jayanti.

Curtains on this year’s Dasara will be drawn with a torchlight parade at Bannimantap Grounds in the evening.  

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the procession by offering puja to Nandi Dhwaja at the North (Balarama) gate of the palace between 1 pm and 1.18 pm, during the auspicious Dhanur lagna. 

He will offer floral tributes to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, placed in the 750-kg golden howdah carried by caparisoned elephant Abhimanyu, between 4.42 pm and 5.06 pm, during the auspicious Kumbha lagna.

Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot will participate in the torchlight parade at 7 pm. 

Preparations were in full swing on Tuesday for the procession. Usually about 4 lakh people come to watch the Dasara procession. This year, 20% more attendance is expected mainly due to social media influence. 

On the palace premises, there will be 48,000 seats to watch the procession for dignitaries and for those who have passes, gold cards and tickets. The seating capacity at Bannimantap grounds is around 40,000.

The Mysuru City Corporation has put up shelters and barricades on the footpaths on either side of the Jamboo Savari procession route for people to watch the spectacle, besides arranging drinking water for every 50 metres and temporary toilets on the Town Hall premises.

Mysuru police commissioner Seema Latkar said only pass holders are allowed to watch the procession on the palace premises and torchlight parade on Bannimantap grounds.

People should avoid climbing trees and dilapidated buildings to watch the procession, she said. 

Police have installed additional CCTV cameras and are using drones to keep a vigil on the crowds. They are ready with measures to evacuate, shift and treat people in case of an emergency.

According to Mysuru Hotel Owners Association president C Narayana Gowda, there are about 10,500 rooms in 425 hotels of the city and all have recorded 100% occupancy since September 27. All rooms are 100% booked till October 2 and at least 30% of the tourists are from other states, he said. 

The erstwhile royal family is all set for Ayudha Puja on Wednesday and Vijaya Yatre by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar on Thursday. 

The seating arrangement on the palace premises in Mysuru.