MYSURU: The cultural city of Mysuru is decked up for Jamboo Savari, the grand finale of Dasara celebrations, that will be witnessed by lakhs of tourists.
The Dasara procession will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after offering pooja to Nandi Dhwaja at Balarama Gate in makara langa on Tuesday at 2.16pm. The procession will start from Mysore Palace at 2.45 pm and he will offer prayers to an idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari placed in the golden howdah at 4.45 pm.
The Dasara procession will have 50 tableaux and 100 cultural troupes from across the state attending. More than 600 artists from Karnataka and neighbouring states are giving final touches to tableaux.
The preparations
The Dasara Procession Committee has made seating arrangements for more than 10,000 people inside Mysore Palace. About 3,000 people can be seated at Chamrajendra Circle and KR Circle. Police has barricaded the four-km procession route and banned climbing trees and heritage structures by people to watch the colourful Jamboo Savari.
The police have deployed additional 4,000 personnel and installed more than 50 CCTV cameras on the procession route. They have also stepped up security in public places like railway station, bus stations and other places. They have deployed Rapid Action Force and commandos inside the Palace and around the howdah elephant.
In the wake of alert across the country, the police have stepped up intelligence, begun frisking people at public places and installed metal detectors at the entrance of Mysore Palace.
Tourist flow picking up
The Dasara festivities that were inaugurated by poet Channaveera Kanavi by offering pooja to Goddess Chamundeshwari was followed by mega cultural events in more than 10 venues, including in the illuminated Mysore Palace. But the Cauvery agitation by farmers has affected the festival as tourist flow picked up only the last couple of days, following closed holidays and vacations to schools. The state government’s decision to exempt entry tax on inter-state vehicles till October 31, has boosted the prospects of tourism industry.
Ayudha Pooja
Mysore Palace is gearing up for Ayudha Pooja on Monday. The members of the royal family led by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar will offer pooja to ammunitions used by the erstwhile Maharajas and vehicles.