The Mysuru Dasara Exhibition has attracted more than four lakh visitors in the first 11 days of this year’s Dasara celebrations, according to the Karnataka Exhibition Authority. The annual event at Dodda Kere Maidan will continue for about 78 more days after the festival period, giving residents and tourists additional opportunities to visit.
The exhibition was held from October 11 to 22 as part of the 11-day Dasara celebrations. The attendance is lower than the eight lakh visitors recorded during the corresponding period last year, when the exhibition registered a record footfall. The authority said the highest visitor numbers were recorded on the day of the Jambu Savari and the preceding day, based on ticket sales.
The exhibition is one of the main attractions of the Mysuru Dasara festival and is organised every year by the Karnataka Exhibition Authority. This year, most commercial stalls have been occupied, while government departments are using their stalls to explain public schemes and services. The exhibition includes 35 government stalls, 143 commercial stalls and 100 food outlets.
The authority has also introduced several attractions, including a renovated musical fountain, electrical decorations and a selfie point featuring a large pink-flower replica inspired by Disneyland. The A Block has been designed on the lines of the heritage architecture of Belur and Halebidu. The musical fountain measures 425 feet in length and 45 feet in width.
Ayub Khan, chairman of the Karnataka Exhibition Authority, told Prajavani that the exhibition had received a strong response from visitors. He said the expanded amusement options for children, the musical fountain and the electrical decorations were among the attractions drawing people to the venue.
The exhibition also includes stalls by the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and the Indian Space Research Organisation. Visitors can learn about the services’ achievements, employment opportunities in the armed forces and the preparation required to pursue such careers. The prison department is displaying and selling products made by inmates, while Lidkar has set up a stall for leather products.
The event has also benefited from the Dasara holiday period for schools and colleges. The authority said women were visiting in significant numbers, with free travel on Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses available under the Shakti scheme. The exhibition therefore combines tourism, retail, public information and access to state services within a single festival venue.
Visitor interest has also been recorded at other major Mysuru attractions. During the first 11 days, the Mysuru Zoo received 1.57 lakh visitors, while the palace recorded 1,10,952 visitors between October 11 and 19, according to the figures cited in the report.
Rudresh, chief executive officer of the Karnataka Exhibition Authority, said the exhibition would continue beyond the Dasara festival and that local visitors were expected to attend in the coming weeks. Special cultural programmes featuring popular artists are planned on Saturdays, Sundays and government holidays at the authority’s Kalinga Rao auditorium. Visitors can also attend music and dance programmes while using the food and retail facilities at the venue.
