The Mysuru Dasara Jumbo Savari drew thousands of spectators through the city on Wednesday as the 11-day festivities concluded with an elephant procession from the Mysuru Palace premises to Bannimantapa. Police tightened security and diverted traffic along the route for several hours before reopening the roads.
The procession was flagged off by Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar between 4.10 pm and 4.35 pm, with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and other dignitaries present on the dais at the Mysuru Palace. Shivakumar also performed puja to the Nandi Dwaja, or sacred pole, before the procession began.
Prashantha, an elephant estimated to be 54 years old, carried the 750-kg golden howdah bearing the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari for the first time. He was guided along the route by his mahout, Chinnaiah, and was accompanied by the female elephants Roopa and Kaveri. Prashantha was decorated with paintings made using organic paints.
The route passed from the Palace through K.R. Circle, Sayyaji Rao Road and Abdul Kalam Azad Circle before reaching Bannimantapa. The procession forms a major crowd-management exercise for Mysuru, with residents and visitors occupying vantage points along the roads to watch the howdah-carrying elephant. Some spectators reserved places on the pedestrian path four days in advance, with family members taking turns to keep the spots occupied.
The procession also included Abhimanyu, who marched as the Nishane Aane, and Gopi, who served as the Naupat Aane. Other elephants taking part included Srikanta, Srirama, Mahendra, Chaitra, Lakshmi, Sugreeva and Ekalavyya. Abhimanyu had previously carried the golden howdah six times before retiring from that role.
The Jumbo Savari continues a tradition associated with the erstwhile Maharajas of Mysuru. Under the royal system, the ruler travelled in the procession from the Palace to Bannimantapa. After elected governments replaced the Maharajas, the idol of Chamundeshwari began to be mounted on the golden howdah instead.
Selected elephants arrived in Mysuru on August 26 for rehearsals. During their stay, they were placed on a special diet and monitored regularly by veterinarians to keep them fit for the final procession. The Dasara festivities were inaugurated on October 11 by Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji of the Gavi Matha in Koppal district at Chamundi Hill.
Following the procession, a torchlight parade was held at the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantapa. The celebrations concluded with a drone show featuring aerial formations in the sky.
