Mysuru Dasara Begins with Traditional Fervour

Mangalore Today News Network

Mysuru, October 11, 2026: The 11-day Mysuru Dasara celebrations began on Sunday with religious fervour and traditional rituals, as Koppal’s Gavimath pontiff Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji inaugurated the state festival at the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills.

The inauguration took place during the auspicious Dhanur Lagna, with the pontiff showering flowers on the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari amid Vedic chants. Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and several state ministers accompanied him.

Celebrated as ‘Nada Habba’, Dasara showcases Karnataka’s rich cultural heritage, folk traditions and royal legacy. This year’s festivities include food and flower festivals, cultural programmes, Farmers’ Dasara, Women’s Dasara, Yuva Dasara, children’s events and musical performances. The traditional coastal sport of Kambala will also feature in the celebrations.

Major attractions include the iconic Jamboo Savari procession, Torchlight Parade, Mysuru Dasara Exhibition and a drone show featuring 3,500 LED drones. The Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team will perform aerial displays from October 18 to 20. Defence tableaux representing the three armed forces will participate in the Vijayadashami procession.

The Mysuru royal family will observe its traditional rituals, including the private ‘Khasagi Durbar’, with Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar ascending the golden throne amid Vedic chants.

The celebrations will culminate on October 21 with the world-famous Jamboo Savari, featuring caparisoned elephants carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari in a golden howdah.

The Dasara tradition in Mysuru dates back to 1610, when Raja Wadiyar I introduced the celebrations, inheriting the tradition of the Vijayanagar Empire. After the abolition of royal privileges in 1971, the state government revived the public celebrations in 1975 under then Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs.

Authorities have made elaborate security and crowd-management arrangements for the festivities, officials said.