Mysooru Dasara

The best thing about being in Mysore is being able to enjoy some of the festivities around the city during Dasara.

As the kannada song goes Mysooru Dasara Yestondu Sundara, chellide nageya paneera.. meaning Dasara of Mysore is so beautiful that it sprinkles the fragrance of joy everywhere. If you look at the city today.. it feels as it its alive! Its lit every where with LED lights as opposed to incandescent bulbs used during the previous years saving energy and at the same time glowing in every corner.

Old Statue Square in all its glory.

Elephants taking their routine walk to get accustomed to crowd

There is at least one program a day in every auditorium in the city, being the cultural capital of Karnataka Mysore is in its full glory.

Since there were 4 kids at home I thought of taking them on a city tour. It was a feast to our eyes and kids enjoyed.

Harding Circle has its butterflies lit in neat LEDs, so are the streets in front of the Palace, Devaraja Urs Road and Sayyaji Rao Road, As usual the the dome structure in Sayyaji rao road is well lit.

Bombe dance performance in Jaganmohana Palace

Maharaja Throne at Flower Show

 There are various programs organised, A food mela, Yuva dasara (dasara for youth), Kreeda Dasara (sports dasara) Dasara Vastu Pradarshana (Dasara Exhibition). There are competitions held at different levels, fancy dress for kids, photography, rangoli, mehendi and hairstyle to name a few. The spirit of Dasara is spread to various offices and institutions by having them participate in gardening competitions. The institutions take this up very seriously and aim on doing different kinds of decorations and plant set-up each year to aim for the prize. Its just not about the prize. Its about the honor and prestige of having participated and won.

Kanyaka puje on Durgastami

Kids dressed up for bombe puje

Kanyaka Puje on Durgastami

Bombe alankara at home

Park

Vaikunta arrangement

 Another important part of this festivities is doll decorations. Many houses across the city arrange dolls in their house and make the festival travel to their houses. Its important to spread this kind of tradition and pass it on to the next generations.

There is also a circus that comes to the city during this time.

Jamboo savari

The grand finale for the 10 day celebration is the Jamboo savari and torch light parade. People throng from various parts of the world to witness these spectacles. These are not just celebrations, its a tradition carried through various generations and Dasara procession is about 403 years old.