The Mysuru Dasara procession drew lakhs of residents and visitors on Wednesday as the city’s Vijayadashami celebrations introduced several firsts, including a new lead elephant, participation by artistes from other states and an open bus carrying Kannada film personalities.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar began the procession by performing puja to the Nandi flag at the Balarama Gate of Mysuru Palace at around 1.36 pm. He then joined ministers in an open vehicle and entered the palace courtyard, where crowds gathered for the event. The procession moved along the designated route with folk-art troupes and tableaux presenting Karnataka’s cultural heritage, artistic traditions and government achievements.
The main ceremonial moment took place at around 4.30 pm when Shivakumar offered flowers to the Chamundeshwari festival idol placed on a 750-kg golden howdah carried by Prashantha. The elephant, which has participated in Dasara for 18 years, carried the golden howdah for the first time this year. The procession reached the Banni Mantap grounds after covering a five-kilometre route in about two hours.
Abhimanyu, who had carried the howdah six times, took on the role of the nishane elephant this year. Prashantha was accompanied by Kaveri as a kumki elephant, while Roopa later joined the group. Gopi served as the naubat elephant, and Mahendra, Srirama, Srikanta, Chaitra, Lakshmi, Sugriva and Ekalavya took part as salane elephants. The elephants moved along the route as thousands of spectators watched from both sides of the road.
The procession included 50 folk-art troupes and 53 tableaux. For the first time, artistes and technicians from the Kannada film industry travelled in an open bus designed as an ambari, waving to spectators along the route. Former cricketer Anil Kumble and other prominent sports personalities also attended the event.
Another change this year was the participation of cultural troupes and tableaux from outside Karnataka. A Kerala troupe presented the Pootan and Thira traditions alongside a boat-shaped tableau, while Tamil Nadu sent a Karagattam troupe and a tableau titled “Tamil Nadu: The Grandeur of Heritage, the Living Tradition”. Tibetan participants were also given space for both a cultural troupe and a tableau. A naval tableau, along with Army and band performances, formed part of the procession.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy joined Shivakumar in offering flowers to Chamundeshwari. The participation of chief ministers from other states in the launch ceremony was described in the report as a first for the Vijayadashami procession. Other participants included district in-charge minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj V Tangadagi, Mysuru royal family member and MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy and City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar.
The ceremony was accompanied by a 21-gun salute and the national anthem played by the police band. At Banni Mantap, Governor Sudha Yadav, the Chief Minister, ministers and thousands of spectators watched the torchlight parade and a drone display, bringing the Dasara celebrations to a close. The report also said that 33 ambassadors and representatives from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Israel attended the procession.
