MYSURU: The 11-day Mysuru Dasara festivities came to a spectacular close with the grand Jamboo Savari procession on Vijayadashami on Wednesday, marking the culmination of the iconic celebrations in the city of palaces. The historic event witnessed several firsts, adding new dimensions to the centuries-old tradition.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar inaugurated the grand Jamboo Savari for the first time. He performed the traditional Nandhi Dhwaja pooja at the Balarama Gate of Mysuru Palace at around 1.50 pm during the auspicious Makara Lagna, in the presence of District Minister Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah and Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi.
He later flagged off the procession featuring colourful tableaux and cultural troupes showcasing the traditions, heritage and regional diversity of various districts. For the first time, cultural troupes from other states also participated in the procession. They included Irai Nadanam and Karagattam from Tamil Nadu, Kombu Koya from Andhra Pradesh, Gondhal folk dance from Maharashtra and Jumar from West Bengal.
In another first, chief ministers of neighbouring states were invited to offer floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari during the procession. At around 4.30 pm, during the auspicious Meena Lagna, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his wife Usha, along with Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy offered flowers to the deity seated in the golden howdah carried by tusker Prashantha.
Twenty-one cannon shots reverberated through the air as the dignitaries offered floral tributes to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, carried in the 750-kg golden howdah. The tusker Prashantha was flanked by kumki elephants Kaveri and Roopa.