MYSURU: The city of palaces is all set for Vijayadashmi procession and to showcase the rich art, culture and its 400-year-old tradition on Saturday. The city will have lakhs of tourists from across the country and also abroad to enjoy the cultural extravaganza that will take off from Mysore Palace and pass through illuminated streets to reach Bannimantap stadium.
The Dasara festivities that were celebrated on a low scale during the previous years due to prevailing drought condition, is celebrated on a grand scale this year, thanks to the recent bout of bountiful rains. Though heavy rains have dampened the spirit of celebrations, the illumination has added grandeur to festivities. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will formally inaugurate the Dasara procession by offering puja to Nandhi Dhwaja at Balarama gate at 2.15 pm on Saturday.
He, along with Minister H C Mahadevappa, Yaduveer Krishnadutta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mayor, Deputy Commissioner and Police Commissioner, will shower flowers on Sri Chamundeshwari idol placed on elephant Arjuna at 4.45 pm. Arjuna carrying the 750kg golden howdah will arrive late as golden howdah and ropes will be given only after the completion of rituals by the royal family.
The Dasara committee keen to improve quality of Jamboo Savarai procession has restricted tableaux to forty that will throw light on erstwhile Maharajas and their contribution, water conservation and other things. The tableaux will showcase development of all the 30 districts and various boards and corporations. It will be followed by cultural troupes, folk artistes performance and contingents from mounted police, railways, KSRP, NCC and others along with the police band.
The procession along with 12 Dasara elephants should march 5 km within two hours. The Dasara elephants have completed 45 days of rehearsal carrying golden howdah and also held rehearsal of Vijayadashmi procession. The procession will be followed by torchlight parade at Bannimantap which will be presided over by Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.
New master for Arjuna Arjuna, the howdah elephant, is most likely to be manoeuvred by new master this time. Arjuna will carry the 750-kg howdah for the seventh time in a row. Sources told Express that Vinu, who was appointed as a mahout to Arjuna over a year ago, will be goading the jumbo on the last leg of the Dasara festivities on Saturday
Live streaming on Facebook Keeping pace with new age media bringing events live on Facebook and other social networking sites, the district administration will arrange for live streaming of the Jamboo Savari and torchlight parade on its Facebook page — mysuru dasara 2017. Reacting to media queries, Deputy Commissioner D Randeep said the real time events will be screened on the Facebook page, while there will be no such facility on the website.
Seating for 25,000 inside palace The seating capacity has been increased within the palace premises to 25,400, Deputy Commissioner and Dasara special officer D Randeep said. Similarly, seating capacity has been made for 26,200 people at torchlight parade grounds at Bannimantap. To enable the people to park their vehicles with ease, the venue of parking lots will also be printed below the tickets and passes.